Azealia Banks’ Melbourne Tour Date Is Back On Despite ‘Racist’ Outburst

Despite its modest three-show itinerary, Azealia Banks’ tour of Australia has produced more drama than Netflix’s The Crown, with her Brisbane show scrapped on show day and the U.S. artist’s Melbourne date abruptly postponed and, now, rescheduled.

Produced by Bizarro and Point Productions, part of Point Bank Group, whose managing director is Sian Van Der Muelen, better known as the artist Miss Blanks, the trek kicked off last Friday (Dec. 9) with a one-off show at Auckland’s Spark Arena — a late addition to the itinerary.

The jaunt entered unknown territory when the New York rapper’s tour party then hopped the Tasman for the east coast opener at Melbourne’s Festival Hall, a show that was postponed on the day due to “visa” problems.

According to a statement issued by the venue operators, the gig would “not proceed due to Azealia’s visa not being granted in time for her performance.”

The statement continues, “We are currently exploring a new Melbourne date next weekend and will be back soon with further information.”

The visa “has since been granted,” the statement continued, “and we are moving forward as planned” with the Sydney and Brisbane show.

Bank seemingly tore up those plans when she reposted her promoter’s original statement with the comment: “Ahem, the promoters dragged their feet, agreed to provide a number of amenities which were not provided.

“I have been at the airport since 7am. There will be no rescheduled Melbourne show, and I will be paid in full for [the promoter’s] fuck up.”

She continued: “Major apologies to the fans who bought tickets but there will be no rescheduled show. I have shit to do.”

Soon after, Banks deleted that message. Though not before social media users captured it and spread it wide.

Despite those sentiments, Banks went on to complete her Sydney show Sunday night (Dec. 11) at the Enmore Theatre, as planned.

The tour took another detour when, on Tuesday (Dec. 13), Banks’ concert at Brisbane’s 700-capacity Tivoli theatre — a concert originally penciled-in for Dec. 8 before it too was rescheduled — was cancelled.

“It is with great sadness that we announce that the Azealia Banks Brisbane show will not be able to proceed due to unforeseen circumstances,” reads a statement on the venue’s social channels.

“Point Productions would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused, this has been well out of our control.”

TMN reached out Point Blank for comment, though had received no reply at the time of writing.

As previously reported in TMN’s sister title Tone Deaf, the Harlem rapper scrubbed her Queensland show after calling out fans in these parts for providing the “most racist, most demoralizing experience” of her life and vowing never to come back to the country.

“I’m so sorry you guys – actually I’m not sorry – but listen: last time I was in Brisbane and y’all threw s— on the stage and damn near almost f—ing hit me in the face with a f—ing bottle of soda or whatever that s— was,” Banks said on Instagram.

She added, ‘That was the most racist, most demoralizing experience of my f—ing life and right now I’m on a really good track.”

The “212” rapper continued, “I am too far away from home … I am a beautiful black woman and I am not going to get in front of some audience of white people for them to be throwing s— at me. I am so not sorry.

“I am not sorry at all.”

Another twist. On Wednesday (Dec. 14), Point Productions announced a new Melbourne venue (The Timber Yard) and date (Sunday, Dec. 18) have been locked in.

“It’s on,” reads a statement. “We’d like to thank everyone that purchased tickets and were patient with us while we managed to secure a new date and venue.”

The message continues, “As you can imagine, turning around a show of this scale within a week, during the most busiest periods of the year, is a mammoth task.”

If you’ve followed Banks career, you’ve been kept busy.

The outspoken artist isn’t shy of a beef, and she’s had spicey things to say about Australia and its people, including rapper Iggy Azalea and Oscar winner Russell Crowe.

Following her appearance at Splendour In The Grass in 2015, she tweeted, “You guys are terrible crowds to play for. You’re violent and belligerent and I simply… will not put my safety at risk. I would’ve walked off stage had someone thrown something,” she said in a string of tweets. 

On her arrival for those dates, she noted how “beautiful” the country was. Within hours, she’d shared a tale of spotting a man at Gold Coast airport who had “a knife and tried to stab people.”

There were prior issues with Aussie audiences. She reportedly bailed on her show at Melbourne’s Listen Out Festival in 2013 after just 90 seconds when a beer was pitched at the stage. It was a similar story when she played at the Sydney leg of the event; a drink hurtled to the stage, and Banks apparently walked early.

In 2016, Banks made global headlines when she claimed Russell Crowe assaulted her and called her the n-word before tossing her from a party.

Wu-Tang Clan‘s RZA, who invited her to the hang in Los Angeles, had an entirely different take.