Melb Band Horace Bones Call For Live Music Punters To 'Step Up' Following Assault At Gig

Melbourne outfit Horace Bones have called for live music punters to "step up" after a woman was physically assaulted at a recent gig which then resulted in a brawl. 

The goth-punk band have told The Music that they were informed at the conclusion of their gig that one male punter behaved "extremely obnoxiously" in the mosh pit during the show at The B.East in Brunswick last Thursday and went so far as to kick a female punter in the back. 

"I’ve been told he was pushing people over deliberately, lining people up and charging them," bassist Dern Cockburn told The Music.

"One girl and a good friend of ours had a word to him to be more respectful of those around him. He waited until she turned around and kicked her in the back. Unfortunately no one had her back and pulled him up on this.

"After the show he apologised to one of her friends for pushing him over but refused to apologise to her. Another female who witnessed this told him that his behaviour was not on and he should apologise.

"Apparently an argument broke out between the two of them with him apparently calling her things like a 'feminist bitch' and escalated to the point of him spitting in her face. After this he was jumped on by a bunch of people, predominantly women and blows were thrown before the fight was eventually pulled apart by lookers on."

While Cockburn said the four-piece are "really regretful" they weren't aware of what was happening during the gig, he believes there is an important lesson to learn from the assault, particularly for men.

"The men who saw what was going on around them and didn’t intervene when a woman was kicked," Cockburn explained. 

"As well as the men who were oblivious to this and should be more aware of what’s going on around them. 

"It sucks that I have to say this but it maybe shows security are necessary at live venues. Self-policing can only go so far and almost always will inevitably end up in violence. Which I believe is never the answer.

"I feel terrible we as a band weren’t more aware of what is happening in our crowd.

"We are a dark, heavy, loud band, sure. But we also strive to be an inclusive band and want everyone to feel safe at our gigs and to feel comfortable making us aware of antisocial behaviour. So that we can call people out on shitty behaviour.

"Our sets are about losing your inhibitions and embracing your darkness, but doing so in order to feel a sense of togetherness and letting things out to feel love for your mates and have a good time."

Read the full statement below.

We were unaware at the time anything was happening and are really regretful of that.

We’ve always thought we’d be the kind of band and kind of people that are on top of crowd control and looking out for people who come to our shows. We thoughts we’d be on the ball enough to see this happening and pull people up for shitty behaviour.

My understanding from what I’ve been told is as follows:

What happened was there was a certain individual who was in the mosh pit at The B. East on Thursday night whilst we played who was behaving extremely obnoxiously.

Granted it was a rowdy crowd and things were intense but this behaviour was over the top.

I’ve been told he was pushing people over deliberately, lining people up and charging them. One girl and a good friend of ours had a word to him to be more respectful of those around him. He waited until she turned around and kicked her in the back. Unfortunately no one had her back and pulled him up on this.

After the show he apologised to one of her friends for pushing him over but refused to apologise to her. Another female who witnessed this told him that his behaviour was not on and he should apologise. Apparently an argument broke out between the two of them with him apparently calling her things like a “feminist bitch” and escalated to the point of him spitting in her face. After this he was jumped on by a bunch of people, predominantly women, and blows were thrown before the fight was eventually pulled apart by lookers on.

It’s so sad this is happening within our community which for the most part, or so I thought, is full of amazing, loving people who always look out for each other.

There’s lessons to be learnt for all of us in this.

In particular us men. The men who saw what was going on around them and didn’t intervene when a woman was kicked.

As well as the men who were oblivious to this and should be more aware of what’s going on around them. 

It’s sucks that I have to say this but it maybe shows security are necessary at live venues. Self policing can only go so far and almost always will inevitably end up in violence. Which I believe is never the answer.

I feel terrible we as a band weren’t more aware of what is happening in our crowd.

We are a dark, heavy, loud band, sure. But we also strive to be an inclusive band and want everyone to feel safe at our gigs and to feel comfortable making us aware of antisocial behaviour. So that we can call people out on shitty behaviour. Our sets are about losing your inhibitions and embracing your darkness, but doing so in order to feel a sense of togetherness and letting things out to feel love for your mates and have a good time.

No one deserves to be hit, kicked or spat on.

Much less someone just trying to have fun with her friends at a gig.

Much less a woman.

Us men who standby and allow this behaviour to continue need to step up.

Call out your mates.

Look after each other.

If you can’t behave yourself, stay at home until you learn to be an adult.