Copyright news
Deals of the Week 9:50PMThursday, November 6th, 2025 In the know quiz Set your local weather Breaking News Courts & Law Courts & Law Courts & Law Courts & Law South Australia Western Australia Northern Territory Breaking News North America US Politics South America Middle East UK Politics Health Problems Mental Health Inspiration Weight Loss School Life Restaurants & Bars Food Warnings Relationships The Sealed Section Family & Friends Fashion Shows Fashion Trends Face & Body Cosmetic Surgery True Stories Lifestyle Videos Travel Ideas Short Breaks Food & Drinks Destinations North America New Zealand Middle East Central America South America Travel Advice Tips & Tricks Accommodation Australian Holidays Northern Territory South Australia Western Australia Travel Videos Entertainment Celebrity Life Hook Ups & Break ups Celebrity Photos Celebrity Kids Celebrity Deaths Celebrity Style What To Watch Morning Shows Current Affairs Upcoming Movies Movies Reviews Music Festivals Books & Magazines Golden Globes Entertainment Videos Social Media Mobile Phones Home Entertainment Archaeology Environment Climate Change Sustainability Natural Wonders Motoring News On the Road Technology Videos Cost of Living How to Save Salary Secrets Personal Finance Superannuation Australian Culture Power & Influence Inside Parliament Gig Economy Breaking News Manufacturing Other Industries Australian Economy World Economy Interest Rates Federal Budget Australian Markets World Markets Australian Dollar Cryptocurrency Real Estate Sydney & NSW Melbourne & VIC Adelaide & SA Cricket Live Scores V8 Supercars Sports Life American Sports Paralympics Horse Racing Expert Opinion More Sports Sport Videos Sales & Deals Home & Appliances Health & Wellbeing Entertainment ‘Looking for clicks’: What’s fuelling Aussie concertgoers’ bad behaviour Aussies have been going utterly feral at concerts in recent weeks. Now an expert has revealed why we can’t behave in crowds any more. Natalie Brown @natalieisbrown November 7, 2025 - 6:47AM Ascolta questo articolo Copied URL to clipboard Flares, rubbish-flinging and (alleged) meth-smoking are not what most Australians expect to encounter when they buy tickets to see their favourite musician. Yet in the past week – at three separate concerts across the country – that’s exactly what’s happened, begging the question of whether these are one-off incidents carried out by “rat bags”, or a sign crowds no longer know how to behave. At Oasis’s first Melbourne show on Friday, a flare was launched into the 50,000-strong crowd at Marvel Stadium – inciting the expletive-laden wrath of co-founder Liam Gallagher, who addressed one of his trademark X posts “to the massive c*** who launched that flare into the crowd last night”. “You are 1 seriously f***ed up individual and you will get yours trust me,” Gallagher wrote. The incident came days after a woman was pelted with rubbish for standing and dancing in a seated section during American country singer Jelly Roll’s concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. A video of the woman was posted to TikTok with the caption: “Sit down, if you wanna stand up and dance, get floor tickets.” Copied URL to clipboard The recent anti-social behaviour hasn’t been relegated only to events in the Victorian capital. On Saturday night, fans alleged a handful of their fellow concertgoers were smoking “weed, (psychedelic drug) DMT and meth” at the opening show of Metallica’s Australian tour in Perth. Though WA Police did not receive any reports of illicit drug use, another two men were arrested for climbing the stadium’s central tower and charged with a trespass offence. Oasis during their Live 25 tour at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Ahead of Oasis’s Sydney shows this weekend, a NSW Police spokesperson told news.com.au cops “continue to work closely with venues and event organisers to ensure the safety and security of attendees”, adding: “Police will be present at any upcoming events.” Victoria Police was unable to comment. ‘Looking for clicks’ Tim McKenry is a Professor of Music at Australian Catholic University. Asked what might be to blame for concertgoers’ anti-social behaviour, Professor McKenry noted a pandemic-induced “forgetting” of concert etiquette could be a contributing factor. “We have to remember that concert etiquette is essentially a set of unspoken rules that we know through experience,” Prof McKenry told news.com.au. “By attending, observing and participating in concerts, we come to know how to behave … In suspending live music – in some cases for years – people lose the capacity to learn and reinforce concert etiquette. “Enough musicians were commenting on this trend, that, at the time, I felt there was something in it. “However, Covid was a while back now. I don’t think this poor behaviour stems from that.” The key culprit, he said, is likely social media. “People (are) seeking notoriety on social media for reasons possibly unrelated to the concert and the musician, or perhaps only meaningful to a subset of those individuals – fans or ‘anti fans’ involved in some kind of online subculture,” he said. “The key test is: was the incident recorded and uploaded by the perpetrators or their accomplices? If so, it seems they are motivated by something other than the concert – they’re looking for clicks or their next viral moment.” A flare was launched into the crowd at Oasis’s first show in Melbourne on Friday night. Picture: Supplied ‘You will get yours trust me,’ lead singer Liam Gallagher wrote of the culprit. Picture: Supplied Though it can be “tempting” to look at this behaviour as a sign audience behaviour is doomed, “in reality (it) differs in different contexts”, Prof McKenry said. “Compare an orchestral concert with heavy metal – one orderly and static; the other raucous and fluid,” he continued. “Both have their own etiquette – it would be wrong to claim one is well-behaved and the other disorderly.” The incidents at Jelly Roll, Oasis and Metallica, Prof McKenry said, “are notable because they are both a breach of established concert etiquette and unsafe”. ‘There’s a risk of dangerous behaviour’ Live music “gives people a space to experience, and to express, things beyond the everyday”, lecturer in Music Industry and Popular Culture at RMIT, Dr Ben Green, told news.com.au. “Music connects to emotions, and this is amplified by social expectations and features like volume, lighting, alcohol, and charismatic performers,” Dr Green explained. “One of the aims, from historic rituals through classical performances to the modern concert, is to ‘lose yourself’.” Though this is beneficial to personal and collective wellbeing, it can also (as evidenced above) backfire. “In this space where people are encouraged to transcend normal boundaries, there’s a risk of dangerous behaviour,” Dr Green said. “People might be reckless, or even selfish in the case of unwanted touching, which is increasingly recognised as a problem for women and non-binary people in particular.” Two men have been charged with trespass after climbing up a tower inside Optus Stadium during the Metallica concert. Picture: Reddit Two men have been charged with trespass after climbing up a tower inside Optus Stadium during the Metallica concert. Picture: Facebook ‘It’s hard to overcome a lifetime of conditioning’ One of the biggest draws to a concert – aside from seeing a musician you love – is “the shared experience”, Dr Green said. “In the rest of life we’re pushed to be individualistic and compete with each other. This is one reason collective musical experience is so valued,” he said. “But it’s hard to overcome a lifetime of conditioning. “Some parts of a big concert might encourage the selfish side, if punters feel badly treated – like high ticket prices, poor transport, long queues, expensive drinks, aggressive security.“ Prof McKenry similarly noted that “unintentional breaches of etiquette may occur due to (this) lowered inhibition” – “whether simply because people are in a setting that allows them to dance and sing and not be self-conscious, or whether there’s a euphoria tied to flooding the brain with oxygen, which can happen if a crowd is singing along”. But, he said, “I don’t think that this accounts for someone bringing a flare and releasing it in the concert – this was premeditated and designed to disrupt”. “This is a rat bag doing unhelpful things,” Prof McKenry said. ‘Safety ought to be a shared responsibility – musician, venue, crowd, individual,’ Professor McKenry said. ‘It’s important to recognise the limits’ Safety at concerts should be a responsibility shared by the musician, venue, crowd and individual, Prof McKenry said. “Every participant can introduce an element of danger: a venue failing to provide access to water in convenient locations; audience participants focused so completely on themselves that they forget about collective enjoyment – which can range from someone stupid with a flare gun to the woman who sat behind me at a Mozart opera kicking my chair in time with the music,” he said. Dr Green agreed, emphasising the ability of music scenes and communities to “develop values and promote shared enjoyment”. “It’s important that young people be encouraged, and allowed, to attend gigs and learn community values and the joys of collective experience,” he said. More Coverage Pics reveal ‘straight white men’ 2025 truth Mary Madigan US habit sweeping Aus that we must stop Mary Madigan “Going to gigs and festivals can be eye-opening for young people, who might find more caring and socially conscious attitudes than they are exposed to elsewhere. “But it’s also important to recognise the limits of this, as we’ve learnt especially from women who share experiences of not feeling safe even in supposedly ‘right on’ subcultures. “The onus is on promoters and venues to set basic expectations, and have trained staff to enact them.” Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Join the conversation, you are commenting as More related stories Celebrity Deaths ‘Legend’: 90s rap star dead at 51 A rapper who first hit the charts in the 90s has suddenly and shockingly died, leaving fans, friends and family heartbroken. Celebrity Deaths Bandmate announces death of rock legend The New Zealand-born musician was best known for his contribution to legendary hits like April Sun in Cuba and Are You Old Enough. Aussie rock star lost rare treasure in flood Bernard Fanning reveals why one song is missing from the revamp of his debut solo smash record ahead of Tea & Sympathy 20th anniversary tour. Registration In The Know Quiz Newsletters Competitions Welcome to news.com.au Code of Conduct Help and Support General Feedback Advertise with us Standards of Practice Licensing & Reprints Our News Network The Daily Telegraph The Courier Mail Our Partners realestate.com.au CODE Sports A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out.Sometimes our articles will try to help you find the right product at the right price. We may receive payment from third parties for publishing this content or when you make a purchase through the links on our sites. Privacy policy Relevant ads opt-out Cookie policy Terms of use Nationwide News Pty Ltd © 2025. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Powered by WordPress.com VIP
