Aqua's Australian Tour Downgraded To Smaller Venues

Danish-Norwegian Europop outfit Aqua are returning to Australia this month, but the tour will arrive as a bit of a bummer as the venues and mini-festival line-up have been downgraded.

The Barbie Girl group were set to perform at large venues, including Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Melbourne’s John Cain Arena, Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, and Perth’s RAC Arena at the end of March.

They also had an impressive roster of artists joining them on tour, including 2 Unlimited, East 17, Phats & Small, Big Brovaz, Booty Luv, and Urban Cookie Collective. 2 Unlimited are now the only special guests.

In addition to the mini-festival shrinking to a two-act concert, the venues have been downgraded and the dates changed.

Aqua will now perform at Perth’s Metro City, Adelaide’s Hindley Street Music Hall, Brisbane’s Eatons Hill Hotel, Sydney’s Enmore Theatre and Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena. The first three venues are all 18+ shows, and venues like Metro City have sparked accessibility concerns.

Aqua and Ticketek have cited the “current climate” for festivals and tours for the amended dates and venues.

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“With the current climate for festivals and tours the way it is, the tour has been moved into new venues, and the dates have been changed slightly to make sure the shows still go ahead,” Aqua wrote in a statement. “All tickets remain valid for the new shows! We deeply hope you will hold on to them”.

Australia 2024
AUSTRALIA!!! Just a few weeks left till we’re finally coming back 🛸 Can't wait to party with you again 💗💗💗 ______ With the current climate for festivals and tours the way it is, the tour has been moved into new venues and the dates has been changed slightly to make sure the shows still go ahead. All tickets remain valid for the new shows! We deeply hope you will hold on to them 💞 For more information, please go to https://themixtapefest.com/
Posted by Aqua on Thursday, February 29, 2024

The changed tour dates, venues and line-up have left fans “beyond disappointed” and asking for refunds.

Fans in the Facebook comment sections were excited to see East 17, and any adults attending the concerts in Perth, Adelaide or Brisbane are gutted that they can no longer bring family members under 18.

Jake Dennis, a fan initially attending the RAC Arena show, has opened a conversation about the lack of accessibility at Metro City.

Expressing frustration at the show being moved to an 18+ venue “filled with stairs” and tour promoters allegedly providing no option to purchase Companion Card tickets for carer-requiring attendees, Dennis has explained that Perth-based Aqua fans are now “significantly disadvantaged”.

When Dennis originally purchased GA standing tickets for $191.90 at RAC Arena, punters were expecting a mini festival. Now, it’s a nightclub venue, tickets cost $124.90, and Ticketek is offering free Aqua stubby holders and a 15% merch voucher for one item at the merch booth or full refunds from the point of purchase.

The Music has reached out to tour promoters for comment.

Aqua last toured Australia in February 2019 alongside Vengaboys, Blue, B*Witched, Eiffel 65, 2 Unlimited, Outhere Brothers, Lou Bega and Mr President.