Australia: COVID-19 Cancels Hella Mega, Three More Festivals

Despite early flattening of COVID-19 in Australia, a reverse of fortunes has seen border closings and tighter gathering restrictions in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) playing havoc with the live sector’s plans to return to action in 2020.

Live Nation canceled July 15 the November Australian and New Zealand Hella Mega Tour, with Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer – the last of the 2020 international treks to hold out.

“We’re beyond bummed, we kept trying to put this piece of the puzzle together, but unfortunately it’s just not possible,” reada statement from the three bands.

Falls Festival will temporarily drop the Marion Bay, Tasmania leg from its four-state run this year, for the first time since 2003.  It draws 15,000 in the three days before New Years Eve.

“During these unprecedented times, and like most industries, we must adjust our business operations to allow us the best opportunity for long term viability,” promoter Secret Sounds said. The dates in Lorne outside Melbourne, in Byron Bay and Fremantle on the West Coast continue December/January with all-Australian lineups.

The four-city hip hop and electronic Listen Out festival pulled the plug two months out. “We had a killer lineup ready to go, a new venue for Melbourne and heaps of changes in the other cities which you would have loved,” promoters said, adding they’re working on next year’s event.

Rebound in Darwin postponed from July 25 to Oct. 3 as headliners Sydney-based Lime Cordiale and Brisbane’s Mallrat were home-bound in their respective cities.

Brisbane live music venue Crowbar closed “for the foreseeable future” after eight years due to loss of trade due to CVOD-19. Its sister venue in Sydney, which opened 2018, continues.