Dangerous Thunderstorm Disrupts Brisbane Concerts

BRISBANE, Australia A sudden, violent thunderstorm forced the evacuation of Brisbane’s open-air Riverstage and delayed a concert by the American rock band Paramore.

Paramore was preparing to perform the final show of their 2018 Australian tour on Sunday evening when concert organizers were forced to tell the audience to seek shelter in the face of the approaching dangerous weather.

“Hey Brisbane. The venue staff have told us that they have to evacuate due to lightning and when the storm passes, they have a re-entry plan in place.

“We’ll keep you posted. thanks for hanging with us and our weather… Please stay safe,” the band added.

According to The Courier-Mail, the concert resumed after about an hour, with support act Bleachers taking the stage.

The storm also impacted the final date of the sold-out Red Hot Summer tour, which featured Suzi Quatro, The Angels, Baby Animals, the Screaming Jets, Moving Pictures and Chocolate Sharks. The concert was set to take place on Bribie Island, but organizers canceled the event, citing “severe damage” to production from the weather.

In a post on their social media, organizers for the event wrote: “Due to a severe weather cell that has hit the venue tonight’s performance has been deemed unsafe to continue. Patrons are asked to take immediate shelter inside the venue. Patrons opting to depart the venue are asked to take extreme care on the roads which have been badly hit in the past 30 minutes.

“The decision to stop the event was made after extreme winds and rain exceeding 160km/h hit the venue. The stage and production have suffered severe damage. The decision was made by Emergency Services / Venue Management / Production Management and the Red Hot Summer Tour team who have it as our number one priority to ensure your safety.”