Bryan Adams’ Perth Concert Canceled Due to Massive Sewer Fatberg

Canadian rocker Bryan Adams’ sold-out show at Perth, Australia‘s RAC Arena was unexpectedly canceled on Sunday night (Feb. 9) after a massive fatberg—an accumulation of fat, grease, and rags—caused a significant blockage in the city’s sewer system.

The unforeseen issue led to water overflow near the venue, making it unsafe for concertgoers to attend.

Fans were left waiting outside the venue for hours as updates trickled in. Initially, the delay was attributed to a leak in the septic tanks, but at around 9 p.m.—the time Adams was scheduled to take the stage—officials confirmed the show’s postponement.

“Last night’s concert could not proceed due to an external Perth Water Corporation issue, which was unable to be fixed in time. The issue, which impacted all of Wellington Street, meant that it was deemed unsafe for patrons to enter RAC Arena,” Frontier Touring said in a statement. “Tickets will be automatically refunded in full (including refundable ticket purchase, if relevant) to the original payment method used for purchase and patrons do not need to take any action.”

“Patrons should allow approximately 30 business days for the refund to appear in their account. (Please do not contact Ticketek regarding your refund.)”

“The cancellation of show is bitterly disappointing, and we thank fans for their understanding that while every effort was made for the show to proceed, this matter was outside of the control of Bryan Adams, Frontier Touring and RAC Arena.”

The Water Corporation, which manages Perth’s water and sewage systems, confirmed the blockage was due to a fatberg. CEO Pat Donovan explained the situation to 6PR on Monday morning: “I assure you that our people worked really hard to clear a large blockage, which is called a fatberg, in one of our key water mains under Wellington Street.”

He added that while alternative solutions, such as transporting the wastewater away, were explored, officials ultimately concluded they would not be able to keep up with the needs of 16,000 attendees inside the venue.

Adams, who is in Australia as part of his So Happy It Hurts tour, is set to continue with scheduled performances in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne later this week.

While Adams himself has yet to publicly comment on the incident, the unexpected cancellation will undoubtedly go down as one of the most bizarre reasons for a postponed arena show in recent memory.