American punk rock veterans Guttermouth are currently on tour around Australia, but their series of “send-off” shows has been marred by a sloppy performance at the Ferntree Gully Hotel that has outraged fans.
Frontman Mark Adkins has apologised for his onstage antics and irate behaviour that led to fans walking out of the show early, even demanding their money back, while others vented their anger on the band’s Facebook page following the botched concert.
“Last night was the worst gig I have ever been to,” wrote one irate punter. “Mark was so drunk he could hardly sing,” observed another, while others called the set “a fucking joke,” and another railed, “you bunch of old timers fucking wasted my time last night.”
“Over half of the crowd walked out after twenty minutes of the worst pus-filled show I’ve ever seen,” spat another commenter. “Fuck you guys.”
Speaking to TheMusic, Adkins has blamed a combination of alcohol and “cold medicine” accepted from a fan before the show for his sub-par performance. “It’s a shitty cop-out, but that 100% is the truth right there,” defends the remorseful singer. “I woke up just not even knowing what has gone on here.” “Over half of the crowd walked out after twenty minutes of the worst pus-filled show I’ve ever seen.”
“I’m not a pharmacist!” he says of accepting the pills he was offered, “and I had no reason to discount someone’s goodwill. But, yeah, full blackout mode. It’s almost like a roofie or something, it’s terrifying! You lose a little trust in your fellow man.”
The Guttermouth singer formally apologised to attendees of the Ferntree Gully show, saying “I was kind of a victim of circumstance…I apologise to the people who didn’t get the normal Guttermouth delivery; that bothers me more than anything.”
“It’s humiliating and embarrassing that it happened, but it won’t happen again, believe me. Lesson learned,” says Adkins, while defending the punk band’s stoic track record with Australian audiences over their 25 year career. “How many times have I come to this country and done stand up shows every single time? Anyone who thinks this is commonplace is ridiculous.”
While some were furious with Adkins’ blackout at the Guttermouth gig, others recognised the unique quality of the train-wreck performance. “So fuckin bad it was the best show I’ve ever been to,” wrote one fan, while another commented: “Can ya say BEST GIG EVER??!!!! Mark was the absolute most shitfaced person I’ve ever seen on stage, barely stringing two words together.”
Another defendant claimed it was the best $40 he’d spent “in a long time,” writing: “If you want amazing musicianship and professionalism, go see someone like the cat empire, if you want to see hectic shit going wrong, you go to a guttermouth gig.”
The Californian punks continue their ‘Farewell Australia Tour’, playing the Brisbane Hotel in Hobart tonight and continuing through regional and metropolitan areas for the rest of the month.
Guttermouth Australin Tour 2013
Wednesday, August 14 – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
Thursday, August 15 – Barwon Club, Geelong
Friday, August 16 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Saturday, August 17 – The Evelyn, Melbourne
Sunday, August 18 – The Man, Falls Creek
Monday, August 19 – Swindlers, Mt Hotham
Wednesday, August 21 – The Station, Jindabyn
Thursday, August 22 – UC Live, Canberra
Friday, August 23 – The Manning Bar, Sydney
Saturday, August 24 – The Beachcomber Hotel, Toukley
Sunday, August 25 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Wednesday, August 28 – The Coffs Hotel, Coffs Harbour
Thursday, August – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
Friday, August 30 – The Tempo Hotel, Brisbane
Saturday, August 31 – The Parkwood Tavern, Gold Coast
Sunday, September 1 – Airport Tavern, Coolangatta
