A new Hobart festival headlined by controversial band Sticky Fingers has been postponed, with organisers blaming “unforeseeable circumstances” as the reason behind the move.
In a statement, the team behind the inaugural ‘Bass in the Domain’ festival, scheduled to take place this weekend at Hobart’s Regatta Grounds, apologised to would-be festival-goers for the last-minute change.
“Unfortunately, unforeseeable circumstances, like the potential for unfortunate weather, and things beyond our control have necessitated the change in schedule.”
The festival is the latest event to undergo schedule changes, and while Sticky Fingers were included in the line-up, the reasons for the adjustments have not been attributed to the band.
Byron Bay’s Bluesfest just last week dropped Sticky Fingers from their 2023 line-up after two other big acts pulled out over the controversial Sydney band’s inclusion.
“Bluesfest cannot, sadly, continue to support Sticky Fingers by having them play our 2023 edition, and we apologise to those artists, sponsors and any others we involved in this matter through our mistaken belief that forgiveness and redemption are the rock on which our society is built,” Bluesfest organisers said.
Sticky Fingers have been embroiled in controversy since 2016 when their frontman, Dylan Frost, was accused of physically threatening Indigenous singer-songwriter Thelma Plum.
In response, Frost issued an apology on Instagram, saying he was “ashamed” and that “violence against women is never OK”.
Two years later, Frost was allegedly involved in a verbal altercation at a Sydney pub which resulted in him being ejected from the premises.
It is not known if Sticky Fingers and the original artists due to play Bass in the Domain will return for the postponement date.
Bass in the Domain organisers say people with tickets to the original 11 March date can request a refund within the next 6 days, after which “no refunds will be available.”
“If you are unable to attend on the new date, refund requests will be available until 6pm Monday 13th March,” they said.
The festival has been rescheduled to April 15th.
