POPULAR Fremantle brewery Gage Roads says it cancelled an anti-fracking event featuring musician John Butler after realising it would be more than just a concert.

The internationally-famous rocker had posted on his social media the cancellation was over the event’s political nature, pondering why the brewery had accepted Labor MP Simone McGurk’s campaign launch this week.

“Spineless…Did someone get a little call from a powerful mate?” Mr Butler questioned.

The post was later taken down. 

Described as a ‘mini-festival’, Freo for a Frack Free Kimberley was organised by Environs Kimberley and the Lock the Gate Alliance with Mr Butler headlining.

It was originally scheduled to be held at Gage Roads on Victoria Quay, but was relocated to Port Beach Brewery. 

Gage Roads executive director Aaron Heary says because the Frack Free event was free of charge, it would “likely exceed the capacity” of the Victoria Quay venue which usually sees between 500 and 600 customers on a Thursday night. 

“This event changed from a music-only gig with some merchandise for sale, to something more like a rally with multiple speakers delivering amplified speeches throughout our entire venue,” Mr Heary said. 

“We felt this would potentially overwhelm the capacity of the venue and would significantly impact the ambience for those who were just coming down for dinner and a drink. 

“Gage Roads just isn’t fit for purpose for this type of event and for these reasons we asked the organisers to relocate the event.” 

• An mini-fest  featuring local star John Butler has been shifted to Port Beach Brewery after Gage Roads said crowds and amplified speeches might overwhelm punters who just wanted a quiet beer. File photo

Disrupt

Mr Heary says that while Gage Roads did host the Labor campaign launch last weekend, it did not disrupt the music or ambience of the wider venue and was relatively short. 

Additionally, the free nature of the event, as well as its “much longer timeframe, internal venue location, large stage, and amplified speeches” were deemed by management to be unsuitable for the Gage Roads venue to host. 

“We made some calls to our contacts within the Fremantle community which ultimately resulted in the successful shifting of the event,” Mr Heary said. 

“The Port Beach Brewery space will be far more suitable, and we wish John and the organisers all the best for their event.” 

The Freo for a Frack Free Kimberley event on Thursday night went ahead at Port Beach Brewery, with Mr Butler headlining the event alongside Noah Dillon and Wil Thomas. 

Mr Thomas, who lived in the Kimberley for almost three decades, reiterated the event organisers’ calls for the WA government to ban fracking in the Kimberley. 

“During my tenure in the Kimberley, we’ve never stopped fighting for it… someone is always knocking at the door trying to get at it and fracking is the latest and most poisonous of them all,” Mr Thomas said. 

“Music has always been a very powerful vehicle for revolution.”

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER