A turbulent scene erupted outside the Enmore Theatre on Saturday night after NSW Police shut down an all-ages gig by popular Aussie DJ Hot Dub Time Machine. Hundreds of punters were forced to leave the venue, with some reportedly rioting and vandalising property.
As the Daily Mail reports, police apparently had concerns about the safety of patrons outside the venue, citing issues involving “juveniles and alleged licensing breaches”. According to punters on social media, younger members of the crowd taking drugs were to blame.
Pedestrian.tv reports police from Newtown Local Area Command received a short term closure order from Parramatta Local Court and served Enmore management on Saturday night.
“Such a disappointment that people can’t just party and have a good time without being off their faces,” one commenter wrote on Facebook, via the Daily Mail. Punters reported seeing paramedics at the scene, tending to teenagers who’d overdosed on drugs.
“Guys, I’m am so so sorry,” Tom Lowndes, the DJ behind Hot Dub Time Machine, wrote on the official HDTM Instagram page. “Tonight’s show was shut down by the police due to concerns for people’s safety outside the venue.”
“I am shattered. I started Hot Dub to create a party about love for music and positivity, to have this happen is heart breaking. There is no after party, but we will work with everyone concerned to make sure this never happens again.”
Punters reported seeing younger members of the crowd smashing windows in the local neighbourhood after being ejected from the venue alongside hundreds of other punters. Their actions caused much ire on social media and led to police patrolling the area after the gig was shut down.
