Statement – Hobart Summer, 9 November 2021
HOBART SUMMER
Dear Punters,
It’s with a heavy heart we have to cancel our Hobart Summer shows over the Christmas/New Year period. With ongoing restrictions, uncertainty and very little clarity on the immediate future for events, Hobart Summer has become untenable for all involved including the artists, punters and our team.
The rest of Australia is welcoming people back to live music shows and festivals. People are back dancing and enjoying live music all over the country…except in Tasmania. Some artists have therefore been presented with opportunities to play shows in mainland cities to fans who are able to dance and enjoy the full live music experience without restrictions around dancing, standing with a drink or being forced to sit on a seat.
Music is everything to us. And it always has been and it always will be. We are music fans first, and we don’t think it is fair to subject Tasmanians to another seated show (sorry a no ‘vertical-drinking’ show), when the rest of the country is dancing.
From December 15th a Tasmanian music fan can go to a festival in Sydney and dance with over 10,000 people, but will be forced to remain seated in our own state of Tasmania. When we booked these acts over 6 months ago, we were hopeful that restrictions would’ve been lifted as they now have all over Australia. Whilst we are disappointed for us here in Tasmania, we are excited and happy for our fellow fans and colleagues on the mainland as they rebuild their live music industry. We just hope we can too soon.
To allow only 250 people to be dancing or vertical drinking at a 4000 capacity event is unreasonable, illogical and untenable. Therefore, we understand and support The Presets decision to play shows on the mainland and to not perform in a restricted environment at this time. Music is so important to us and our community. Here in Tasmania we have all built an industry and scene that punches above its weight in every single way. We can all be so proud of that. But that scene is under threat, and has been for over two years.
Running events since COVID have been difficult for punters, staff, artists, security and emergency services. We applaud and thank our colleagues and the punters who have supported our industry over these trying times. We thought this would be over now, and for the rest of Australia it is. Apparently, from December 15th we’re open for business. We can go to a sporting event. We can go to the theatre. We can even fly to London to go to a theatre, sporting event or a music event. However, we still can’t dance at a festival to live music in our home state. Live music hasn’t been afforded the same opportunity or respect to rebuild. We’ve been forgotten and this disappoints us.
Thank you for the support and love. We look forward to dancing with you soon!
