EXCLUSIVE: Sprung Hip Hop Fest Cancels Melbourne Date

The Sprung Festival has cancelled its Melbourne date, with promoters blaming issues with the venue and police withdrawing their support of the event.

Headlined by 360, Drapht, Seth Sentry and Urthboy, this was to be the first year that the Brisbane-based event expanded to Melbourne. The decision to not go ahead with the Melbourne date, slated for the Kevin Bartlett Sports Complex Saturday 19 October, comes after the Brisbane leg over the weekend.

TheMusic.com.au understands that artists were notified yesterday that the event would not be going ahead, with the promoters – Clockwork Entertainment – unable to guarantee that they will have a venue for the festival or that it would be financially viable.

Today Clockwork have issued a statement to theMusic, claiming that, “Despite agreements with the Yarra City Council and agreeing to all conditions on provisional liquor license, due to issues raised by the Divisional Planning Unit, North West Metropolitan Region, the Victorian Police have withdrawn their support for the event. This has left the Yarra City Council with little to no choice but to withdraw all support for the applications and therefore rescind the event permits.”

The promoters continued that they have “prided themselves on the safety and the constant working relationship with the Queensland police on the three previous Sprung festivals and despite every effort to satisfy all the stakeholders involved and the Victorian Police, there has been no compromise.

“Despite emergency negotiations with alternative venues, at this extremely late stage, the time available to obtain the necessary permits and licenses does not exist. Added to this the adequate time for redesigning the festival, planning and safe delivery does not exist. This has unfortunately left the event in a state where the promoters do not believe that they can deliver the quality of show that has been successfully held at our sister event in Brisbane for the past two years and again last week.”

Today Victorian Police have confirmed to theMusic that they had withdrawn their support for the event after safety concerns.

“Victoria Police has withdrawn support for a music festival to be held in Burnley on Saturday 19 October,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“An extensive risk assessment involving consultation with event organisers, Yarra City Coucil and local police was undertaken and a number of serious safety concerns were identified.

“The most significant issues related to the proximity of the site to the Yarra River and the limited capacity for emergency vehicles to enter and leave the site via one road only.”

They added, “In an effort to assist event organisers to ensure the festival still went ahead Victoria Police were supportive of hosting the event at a different location.”

Ticketholders will be contacted by the ticket providers, with refunds available from point of purchase.

Read the review of the Brisbane leg here.

Article updated 2.30pm with police statement.