Sydney-based band Hockey Dad were forced to stop performing in the middle of their Brisbane gig last night and get tested and isolate immediately.
The Aussie surf-rock band, made up of drummer Billy Fleming and vocalist and guitarist Zach Stephenson, were performing their first of four shows at Brisbane’s The Fortitude Music Hall this weekend before the Greater Sydney lockdown was announced.
Then, riiight before going back on stage for an encore performance in their first show of the night, they were informed of the new COVID restrictions in Queensland and for people who have visited the Greater Sydney area since the 21st of June; and had to evacuate ASAP. Oof. That sucks giant monkë ass, folks.
In a statement shared on their Instagram, Hockey Dad wrote: “Fuck. This is the heaviest thing we’ve ever experienced.
“Due to new COVID restrictions from QLD health, the next two shows can’t go ahead.”
The Aussie surf-rock band continued, explaining: “We had just finished our set and were about to walk back on stage for an encore. We were then told we had to leave the venue immediately and isolate.
“We are absolutely gutted and are lost for words. Our team is working on a solution to fix all of this. Will be back with more updates as they come. Sorry.”
In response to the news, several fellow musos from the Aussie music scene from Spacey Jane to Kira Puru sent the band their support.
“Sending love boys,” replied back Spacey Jane.
“I’m so sorry, this is terrible,” Mallrat added.
Kira Puru said on Twitter: “This is wild. I am so gutted for everyone working across our industry right now.”
Yesterday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that the Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, and Wollongong areas would be heading into a two-week lockdown effective from 6 PM.
In response, the Queensland Government updated their New South Wales travel restrictions, informing people in the state that if anyone who is already in Queensland has been in the four areas under two-week lockdown since the 21st of June, they must isolate wherever they are immediately for two weeks since they left.
You can learn more about Greater Sydney’s ongoing list of exposure sites here, and what you can and can’t do in this two-week lockdown.
