Bootleg RascalA public proposal in the middle of Bootleg Rascal’s recent gig in Brisbane (10 January) didn’t exactly go to plan, the band revealed in a video posted to social media.
The Gold Coast hip-hop meets reggae and indie rock outfit launched their Reasons tour at The Triffid in Brisbane over the weekend, and, enjoying the moment, a fan decided it would be the perfect time to propose to his partner.
Bootleg Rascal shared a video on their social media accounts, featuring a young man on stage, holding a microphone and telling punters how he and his partner met at one of the band’s gigs a few years ago.
“My partner and I came to watch Bootleg Rascal about two or three years ago,” he said. He then called out: “Jamie, where are you? Can you come up onstage quickly? I thought, you know, they’re our favourite band, and I thought today, why not, maybe today is the time.”
The young man then got down on one knee as his partner shook her head, trying to get him to stand up. She promptly ran off stage, leading to someone wearing an inflatable Scooby Doo costume, who approached her partner and attempted to console him.
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At the end of the video, the band plugged their recent breakup tune, Reasons, which has led some fans to question whether the unsuccessful proposal was legitimate or a staged stunt. As one Instagram user commented, “Amazing way to advertise the tour.”
You can watch the video below.
Bootleg Rascal’s current tour continues throughout the month. It goes into February, with the group touring throughout New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. You can find tickets via the group’s website.
Reasons dropped back in November. It’s a track that mines experiences of unspoken tension and understated interactions, offering a vivid look at awkward breakups.
“On face value, Reasons could easily be passed off as another breakup/heartbreak song,” guitarist Jimmy Young explained. ‘Those themes are in there for sure, but I think bubbling under the surface, the song also touches on broader elements of human connection. The commonality of emotions that we as people all share at some point in our lives, no matter our race, sex or background.”
Of course, Bootleg Rascal also have a reputation of being cheeky party-starters. In 2022, they entered a hilarious feud with their manager, Rob Carroll, who they stated shared “misinformation” via a “fabricated quote” in a press release.
The exchange marked the latest in a series of “public rows” in recent years, with another in 2019 seeing Carroll ‘fuming’ after finding out the duo had spent a shitload of money from the band's bank account on booze.
In 2024, Bootleg Rascal explained that they had left Sydney off their national tour due to the cost-of-living crisis. They’ve got a point with that one.
