Pandemonium Rocks Festival Hits Back At Cancellation Reports

22 March 2024 | 1:47 pm | Mary Varvaris

"Don’t take your Pandemonium news from unverified reports".

Pandemonium Rocks poster

Pandemonium Rocks poster (Source: Supplied)

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Pandemonium Rocks festival has not been cancelled.

The inaugural event will be held next month at Melbourne’s Caribbean Gardens, Sydney’s Cathy Freeman Park in the Olympic Park Precinct, the Gold Coast’s Doug Jennings Park, and Bribie Island’s Sandstone Point Hotel.

The line-up sports the likes of international rock, alternative, punk and heavy metal superstars, including Alice Cooper, Blondie, Placebo, Deep Purple, Wheatus, Psychedelic Furs, Dead Kennedys, Gang Of Four, Palaye Royale, and newcomer Petch. On the local front, the festival – led by promoters Apex Entertainment – has booked in Wolfmother, Cosmic Psychos and Gyroscope.

Bands will perform across two stages from around midday in all locations.

Rumours of Pandemonium’s cancellation began when a Nine News report aired last night (21 March) claiming that the festival had been canned.

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Pandemonium scrapped

It's understood the highly anticipated Pandemonium festival has been scrapped. #9News

Posted by 9 News Gold Coast on Thursday, March 21, 2024

Some of the festival’s followers also discussed concerns around ticket sales when Pandemonium offered two-for-one deals on St Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day.

Today, Pandemonium Rocks responded to the Nine News report, stating on Instagram:

YES, We saw the news reports

NO, Pandemonium is not cancelled

We’re still selling tickets… Only take your Pandemonium news from us! Don’t take your Pandemonium news from unverified reports!

The festival later turned the comments off on that post, explaining in a follow-up statement: “Due to reckless reporting, and the wilful proliferation of misinformation, rumours and conspiracy surrounding the festival, we are turning comments off on our social media (for now).

“Putting on a multi-city festival of this scale and calibre is no small feat, and the Pandemonium festival team has spent months putting their blood sweat and tears into creating a truly once in a lifetime experience that reaffirms Australia as a top tier music destination on the international tour schedule, in what is an incredibly difficult market.

“It is our responsibility to our team, our artists and most importantly, the fans, to provide the best event we can in the safest way possible, and we do not take this responsibility lightly. As we have seen in the last few months, Australian music festivals are an increasingly rare breed, so we will not tolerate abuse, gossip and rumour to be traded as fact, especially when so many livelihoods are at stake.

“We will have more news next week, but be assured - Pandemonium WILL ROCK!”

In January, Pandemonium was struck with controversy, with the Sydney leg of the festival occurring on ANZAC Day. It was originally set to be held at The Domain, but it ended up moving locations.

At the time, NSW Premier Chris Minns declared, “There's not going to be a rock concert in the middle of the city on ANZAC Day.” His announcement came in response to RSL NSW President Mick Bainbridge sharing concerns about the event being held at its previously booked venue to Ben Fordham on 2GB.

Bainbridge said, “RSL NSW understands the music promoter has offered a portion of ticket sales to veteran's charities to gain support for the concert. But ANZAC Day is not for sale.”

After explaining the change in venues, Apex Entertainment CEO Andrew McManus commented, “We’ve put together a brilliant line-up of iconic rock’n’roll acts that is set to deliver an amazing day of music, no matter what the location.”

Alice Cooper and Blondie are set to headline sideshows in Newcastle.