It’s not really a rock band if there’s no rift between its members but Brian Jonestown Massacre seems to have taken this idea a step too far. An ugly fist fight broke out between two of the psychedelic rock band’s leading members. While most of their live performances are often chaotic, this one was too dramatic for its own good as the band canceled the rest of its Australian tour. Let’s explore the incident in detail.
Fight between Anton Newcombe and Ryan Van Kriedt
During their recent concert in Melbourne, a heated altercation happened on stage between Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman Anton Newcombe and guitarist Ryan Van Kriedt. The band is well known for its onstage controversies as much as its signature psychedelic rock sound.
#Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺
The Brian Jonestown Massacre living up to their name and Rock and Roll spirit, descended into an onstage brawl last night. The band have cancelled the remaining tour dates.#BrianJonesTownMassacre
@brianjonesmassacre
https://t.co/aZgQJAPjCc— Noelia Belén Izarza 🇻🇪🇺🇸 (@myteks) November 23, 2023
Over his 33-year career, Newcombe has often had a confrontational stage presence. However, the fight in Melbourne with his own band member was a new low for the band’s image. As a result, the band announced that they will be canceling the rest of the remaining tour dates in Australia.
What happened at the Melbourne concert?
The controversy started when two audience members threw drinks at Van Kriedt during the performance. In retaliation, the Brian Jonestown Massacre guitarist threw an empty cup back into the crown. Unaware of this, Anton Newcombe demanded that Van Kriedt should apologize to the audience for his actions.
Dramatic end to the Brian Jonestown Massacre show in Melbourne tonight… pic.twitter.com/gQbdAVT6Tt
— Mike Alexander (@ma261065) November 21, 2023
There seemed to be no room for diplomacy or courtesy between the enigmatic rock stars as the situation escalated quickly with tensions rising on stage. Newcombe asked Van Kriedt to put down his guitar and told him that the band doesn’t actually need him. In response, the guitarist warned him to think about what he’s doing.
The verbal exchange turned physical as both band members were seen leaving the stage throwing punches at each other. In the viral video, we can see them trying to hit each other over their heads but in vain. A safety curtain was drawn bringing the concert to an abrupt end as Newcombe asked the audience to ‘shut up’.
Brian Jonestown Massacre cancels Australia tour
In the aftermath of the Melbourne concert debacle, the band made the decision to cancel their ongoing Australian tour. The official tour page was taken down, and they have stopped posting on all social media channels. Now, even the future of Brian Jonestown Massacre remains in question.
I went to the local fight and a Brian Jonestown Massacre gig broke out 🤣🤣 https://t.co/vlIkO7oU6C
— An Intellect (@intellect_an) November 22, 2023
Originally formed in 1990, the band has always seen a variety of internal conflicts between its members despite producing some world-class music. The 2004 documentary ‘Dig!’ showcases this alongside how they clashed with The Dandy Warhols. The issue seems to be mainly with band frontman Newcombe.
