Fresh from an online war of words with M83, who kicked them off their Laneway Festival sideshows after offering soda bulbs to the audience from on stage, Teenage Mothers have caused another stir – this time picking a fight with security at Melbourne music institution The Espy, in St Kilda.
According to guitarist Raph Brous, the same guy who called M83 frontman Anthony Gonzalez a ‘hypocrite’ and ‘vindictive’ and labelled the french electro group a ‘fundamentalist cult’, the band were set upon by bouncers after finishing their set opening for Faker, who have also had their share of run-ins with security.
The guards at The Espy were upset that Teenage Mother’s frontman James ‘JK’ Kennedy had goaded some of the guards on stage, calling out their badge numbers and inciting the audience, and attempted to eject the band from the venue.
Unfortunately a full on brawl began between security, the band, and over excited fans, leading to the police riot squad being called in and Kennedy getting hauled away to jail.
Guitarist Raph Brous spoke with Mess+Noise about the incident, saying that it was the bouncers that started the incident after becoming physically abusive to some of Kennedy’s friends.
“Before we played, the bouncers were physically abusive to some of JK’s friends,” he said. “There is testimony from eyewitnesses. Onstage, JK shamed those aggressive security guards. He announced their badge numbers to the crowd. JK told the audience to stay away from them.”
“The gig went well. After the gig, I packed up backstage. Meanwhile, some of the security guards accosted JK, in revenge for his onstage comments. This is absolutely unacceptable! The singer in a punk band should be able to talk to the audience, without fear of being assaulted by disgruntled bouncers!”
“The bouncers threw JK outside and assaulted him. JK’s injures include broken ribs. JK fought back (in self defence). Several of his friends jumped in against the vengeful bouncers. There was a huge brawl in the street. We have objective eyewitness accounts of a bouncer repeatedly punching JK and repeatedly smashing our friend Tom’s head into the pavement.”
“The police arrived like it was the LA riots. A squad car, two divisional vans and a police riot bus drove onto the pavement outside the Espy! There were about 15 police there. JK was violently arrested, handcuffed, thrown into a van and locked in the jailhouse (along with two of his friends). He got fined $500 for being “drunk on the street” even though he was drinking beer at his own gig!”
“JK got out of jail last night and he will fight the charges in court.”
