Ban The Shoey Chant: A Stain On Australian Festival Culture

While one of the most groundbreaking contemporary artists in Tyler, The Creator, performed on the biggest stage in Australia, fans persisted in chanting one word over and over again between his biggest hits.

“Shoey, Shoey, Shoey,” they exclaimed, from the front to the back. Pockets of crowd members at the Splendour In The Grass amphitheatre, were clearly not there to enjoy one of the most heralded global tours, but instead to use the artist as a robotic object for their weirdly manifesting desire of entertainment. 

Tyler was not the only artist who fell victim to the annoying crowd chants throughout the festival, with almost every single artist that I saw falling victim to the heckling. Between songs performed by Jack Harlow, fans insisted that he did a shoey, even after he denied the request. He said, “Never thought I’d need a translation in Australia. I still have no fucking clue what you’re saying.”

“Y’all know I don’t drink right. I hope you’re not asking me to drink. You think I came to Australia to get peer pressured? Fuck outta here man.” 

@triplejradio

@Jack Harlow didn’t come to australia to be peer pressured into a #shoey at #splendourinthegrass

♬ original sound - triple j

Even after his rejection of the idea, fans continued to chant shoey. It plagued the majority of the festival and many of the main acts. Many artists were subject to the chant. I cringed, many fans cringed, it was an embarrassing moment to be an Australian audience member. Imagine travelling around the world, performing to millions of people globally, releasing multiple pop-hits, critically acclaimed albums, at the height and peak of your creativity, only for fans to yell at you between songs to scull alcohol from a dirty shoe.

Crowd interaction is a necessary element of an incredible live music performance. Audience members are just as pivotal and critical to a successful set as the artist, as their interaction and engagement in a crowd is what differs live music from any other artistic medium. It is the beauty of a crowd chant and negotiation between musician and audience that makes live music as entertaining and all encompassing as it is. But when does engaging with an artist cross a line? Intrusive vocal chants against the artists’ will goes beyond appreciation and love for an artist, rather, it objectifies them as non-human beacon of our entertainment, ruining the level playing field that is presented by a concert or festival between punter and musician. Artists are there to entertain, to put on a show and do their job, not be persuaded by the crowd to do as they wish.

Demanding artists to drink alcohol out of a dirty shoe while they are simply trying to do their job and perform their art reinforces the global and popular belief that Australia’s culture is one surrounded and defined by alcohol consumption. While yes, festivals are often spaces where you can let your hair down a little bit, the fact that the literal perception of Australian audiences is ‘boozin’ is driven by wild and annoying trends like the shoey.

Where the US is known for revolutionary rap artists, Berlin for its lovely techno scene, South Africa’s Amapiano, Jamaica’s dub or dancehall, Australia’s festival scene is known for drinkin’, yahooin' and shakkas.

I don’t say all this to completely cancel anyone and everyone that ever does a shoey. I more than encourage you to complete the activity on your own. In a backyard, in the crowd, alone in your bedroom. If it’s your thing, it’s your thing, but there’s no doubt a level of undeniable cringe that is reflected on Australia’s culture as a whole when you’re deliberately interrupting an artists performance on stage with the chant.

Australia’s festival culture needs a large renegotiation and eradicating the shoey is a significant first step. 

In addition to a bunch of other artists it’s so gross and makes me so embarrassed imagine travelling half way around the world to perform only to be yelled at and to drink alcohol from a shoe it’s GROSS https://t.co/ZmWddpONYT

— nazlican eren (@nazty__gurl) July 26, 2022