Post Malone performs at Melbourne Showgrounds on November 30,2023.Credit:Richard Clifford
A group of fans are rejected from the golden circle,the central pit in front of the stage. They complain as they’re ushered behind a tree roughly a hundred metres from the area they’d purchased tickets for.
The same happens to another group,who show me their tickets but have also been issued the wrong wristband. Another group returns from the ticket booth,having complained about their tickets. They say they are told there are no more golden circle wristbands so they’re relegated to general admission. These fans paid hundreds of dollars. They’ve travelled for hours to be here.
A Live Nation spokeswoman on Friday denied golden circle tickets were oversold. “We had ample wristbands printed for the golden circle sales,and no issues were reported last night to the event control centre,event or site offices during the show.”
One of the rejected fans resists the solemn mood of his friendship group,sculling a can of beer before breaking out in a wild dance. It’s raining heavily now. The group watches the lone dancer for a moment before seeking shelter beneath the merch stands.
The show has the veneer of hip-hop with pop,rock and R&B drippings.Credit:Richard Clifford
“Post Malone”,members of the crowd tell me,“is a sad character or an antihero or both.” I’m told he is an introvert,an outsider,an outcast – as if that hasn’t been the story of every rapper since the inception of hip-hop. “He’s different.” they assure me.
The show has the veneer of hip-hop with pop,rock and R&B drippings. The genres are scattered and messy,and it feels as though Post Malone isn’t comfortable in his own tattooed skin. Maybe that’s the point. From where we stand,the rapper can only be seen on giant pixelated screens.