There was confusion after this weekend’s rugby game at Suncorp Stadium went ahead at full capacity while the entertainment was cancelled.
The Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks faced off in the NRL today, July 4th, at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. After consulting carefully with Queensland Health to develop a COVID-Safe Plan to safely return fans to the stadium, the game was allowed to take place with 100% stadium capacity.
Measures were, of course, in place: masks were mandatory at all times unless eating and drinking; no cloaking facilities were available; every attendee had to sign in on the Queensland Check In App for arrival at the stadium.
However, the opening entertainment for the event, local musician Beks, still found her performance being shelved despite the COVID-Safe Plan and the 100% capacity. Beks was initially booked to open the game back at the start of June but was informed just one day before the performance was scheduled to happen that all on-field entertainment was cancelled.
She was told that the cancellation was the result of Queensland advice on COVID-19 restrictions. “I was told that I would get another opportunity to open the game at another show later in the season,” she explained to Tone Deaf. “They’ve been very apologetic and supportive, it’s just circumstances beyond our control.”
“Luckily my performance crew are all good friends of mine and I wasn’t at a great financial loss,” she insisted. “The whole production was weeks in the making working with local choreographer Em Stockwell, my DJ (Ya Girl Party B), Cindy Vogels of Racy and Lucky who handmade my outfit and some super talented musicians, Harry Fox and Paul Tom.
They’re all Brisbane creatives whose work has been shadowed by ongoing restrictions, working together to create something enjoyable to share with the crowds. It’s unfortunate for everyone involved that it has to be shelved for now, but we’re looking forward to a future date to showcase this.”
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Although she had every reason to be frustrated at the cancellation while the event continued to go ahead at full capacity, Beks was level-headed about it all. “I don’t believe it’s the fault of the Broncos or their entertainment team in having to make this call. Up until this being cancelled, I had received strong support from their team and excitement for my performance.
It’s ironic, in the way that I saw all my friends shows being cancelled, and feeling like, as an artist, I would be protected from the same situation of having my music cut, being that it was happening at a sporting event.” Beks was undeterred, even putting on her planned performance at Suncorp Stadium in her house instead, posting it on her Instagram.
Why one rule for sports and another rule for arts and entertainment? There is no official response from Suncorp yet but we have reached out to them for comment.
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Check out ‘The Thing About Us’ by Beks:
