ROCK BANDS BLASTED

"At one stage a kid chanted, 'kill, kill'"...cafe owner

Terralong Street business owners Warren Steel and Lyn Wilson were dismayed at the Rock In The Park concert held in Hindmarsh Park over the Australia Day weekend.

TERRALONG Street shop owners have called into question Kiama Council after a heavy metal youth concert held in Hindmarsh Park on Saturday turned the street into a proverbial ghost town during historically what is one of the towns busiest periods.

With complaints ranging from excessive noise to aggressive behaviour, local shop owners have expressed shock and dismay that council would have put the all day heavy metal youth concert, Rock In The Park 3, on over the Australia Day long weekend, a time when Kiama is usually bustling with tourists.

Usually serving around 80 people between 5pm and 7pm on a Saturday night, Parkview Cafe had one customer for the two-hour period.

When the concert finished at 7:15 everyone came back out and ate, Cafe owner Lyn Wilson said.

Why would they put this on over a long weekend when we are trying to attract tourists it was unbearable you could not stand outside for more than a second.

It was so loud everyone had to take Panadol and the lyrics were not right. At one stage there was a kid on stage chanting kill, kill.

If we are trying to attract families to town this is not the way.

Fellow Terralong Street shop proprietor Sue Spence from Dougmal Real Estate said the heavy metal concert attracted a large number of aggressive youths, several of whom she was forced to stop from fighting in front of her shop on several occasions.

While she agreed that it was a good idea to run these sorts of youth focused events, Mrs Spence said she felt it would be more appropriate at the Leisure Centre, not in the middle of town.

There were groups of young boys with earring and tattoos, not that I have anything against that, out the front of my shop trying to fight each other, she said.

This is our workplace and we have to put up with a certain level of town festivities but this was ridiculous.

Ninety-five percent of the town would not have liked that so why put it on, it was absolutely terrible. I called (Cr) Warren Steel to see if he could get it called off half way through, it was that bad.

Laying the blame at the feet of the council directors, Cr Steel said he fielded a number of complaints from concerned locals who could not believe that council would have allowed the aggressive music concert to take place.

I had to tell people Im just a councillor, theres nothing I could do, he said.

The directors are paid a very good wage and it is about time they stood up and took a bit of responsibility for their actions.

This was an absolute disgrace and it should not have taken place.

Who ever organised this needs a massive kick in the backside. This did not bring the kind of people we wanted into town.

There was one bloke with black all over his eyes and the rest were all covered in tattoos and earrings, it brought to town a bad element and we didnt need it, especially on this weekend.

Defending the concertgoers was event organiser, Director of Community services Mario Vallejos.

Surprised at the level of complaints, Mr Vallejos said he attended the concert and did not witness any acts of unsavoury behaviour.

I am aware some oldies are not into the music of today but that is what it is all about, he said.

This is the only concert we have outdoors and it gives the youth an opportunity to play in this type of concert.

The decibels were kept to the minimum as required by council and I am unaware of any complaints at all during the day.