Amy Shark moves Melbourne indoor gig due to Covid concerns

Amy Shark was about to be the first concert to take place at Rod Laver Arena since the pandemic. However she’s had to bump her show due to the Melbourne lockdown

Amy Shark has had to move her Melbourne concert. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

THE Melbourne lockdown has seen Amy Shark move her June concert to September.

Shark’s June 18 gig was scheduled to be the first concert held at Rod Laver Arena in over a year.

However the fourth lockdown, and confusion over venue capacities, has seen the gig moved to September 4.

All tickets will be valid for the new date, and refunds will be available.

Shark’s tour starts in Broadmeadow New South Wales this Friday and finishes in Perth on July 3.

Shark had already changed her tour from standing to seating to make it more Covid-safe.

Michael Gudinski’s public State Memorial was held at Rod Laver Arena on March 24, with a reduced capacity of around 7000 people, and no issues of Covid infection.

Shark was due to have over 10,000 fans at her June gig – which would have been the biggest indoor show in Melbourne since last year.

Only outdoor shows have been able to play to audiences of over 7000, including Tina Arena at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl last month.

Amy Shark has moved her Melbourne date back. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Delta Goodrem already moved her entire tour from March to September and October due to ongoing border closures and uncertainty around venue capacities.

Goodrem is due to play Rod Laver Arena on October 16.

On Tuesday US-based Australian comedian Jim Jefferies rescheduled his two Melbourne shows from July this year to April next year – he will play the rest of his shows in Australia this June and July, just bypassing Melbourne.

The ongoing uncertainty over Melbourne’s lockdown has seen other musicians postpone tours, with many worried about having to quarantine if they come to, and then leave, Victoria, or having borders shut on them.

Human Nature have postponed their regional Victorian shows this week, which will be rescheduled for later this year.

Australian band Human Nature have moved their Victorian shows. Pic: Supplied

“This is not the first time we’ve had to delay shows and move them elsewhere in the calendar, it’s another roll with the punches moment,” Human Nature’s Phil Burton said.

“You just can’t make that many plans. We will do the Victorian shows at some point, the first week was postponed, the second week of shows is still open because we’ve been told you never know what the Government will say about regional Victoria. But we can’t make the decision until they do, so we’re constantly waiting to hear what’s next. But you can’t quarantine for two weeks on a tour as it throws off all the other existing dates.”

The APIA Good Times tour has rescheduled for August at the Palais while Melbourne-based musician Bob Evans had to move dates in NSW and Queensland, due to take place this month, to July as he would have had to quarantine if he left Victoria.

Orchestral tribute shows to Fleetwood Mac and David Bowie are due to take place at the Palais this weekend, with promoters waiting for word on venue capacities if lockdowns lift on Thursday night.

Richard Clapton, Emma Swift and The Veronicas are also due to play indoor theatre gigs in Melbourne this month.

Australian singer-songwriter Bob Evans is stuck in Melbourne. Pic: Supplied