The Brian Jonestown Massacre gig ends abruptly with onstage brawl, tour cancelled

A wild onstage brawl between two members of the Brian Jonestown Massacre abruptly ended the show and the band’s Australian tour. The gig turned chaotic last night when frontman Anton Newcombe got into an onstage fight with guitarist Ryan Van Kriedt. Watch the video below.

The fight erupted when vocalist Anton Newcombe, whose battles with drug and alcohol abuse over the years have been well documented, told guitarist Ryan Van Kriedt to leave the stage in the middle of a concert at The Forum in Melbourne’s CBD. “Cut off this guy’s mic, put down my guitar, party’s over captain,” Newcombe said to Van Kriedt. “We actually don’t need you. Go! Put my guitar down on the stage and think about what’s happening.”

As reported by ABC Australia, prior to the altercation on Tuesday night, band founder Anton Newcombe was “unhappy and angry with everyone” in the crowd, according to Ginger Dymke, who was at the concert.

The band kept leaving the stage and arguing before Newcombe grabbed guitarist Ryan Van Kriedt’s guitar and appeared to hit him over the head with it before the pair ended up on the ground with punches thrown.

The rest of the group’s Australian shows were cancelled.