TISM Hit With $18000 Repair Bill Following Sydney Opera House Shows

Melbourne art-rock group TISM has been fined more than $18,000 after performances at Sydney Opera House earlier this year reportedly caused damage to seating and flooring in the venue’s Concert Hall.

The band, whose name stands for This Is Serious Mum, played two shows at the Opera House in April to mark the 30th anniversary of their 1995 album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons. The performances were billed as “once-in-a-lifetime” events and featured elaborate costumes, puppetry and audience participation.

According to documents obtained by the ABC, the Sydney Opera House issued the group with a damage bill totalling $18,488.80 after the April 10 performance. The report said damage occurred after members of the audience and performers “walked and stood” on seats and armrests in the Concert Hall.

The report also documented “crowd surfing and uncontrolled audience interaction” and noted that “liquids [including wine] spilled across seating areas” caused staining, breakages and seat misalignment.

A spokesperson for the Opera House told the ABC: “Some damage occurred to a number of seats and sections of timber flooring in the Concert Hall.”

The spokesperson added: “There was no broader impact to the venue and subsequent performances have proceeded as planned.”

The fine comes as TISM announced their first national headline tour in more than 30 years. The “No Mistakes Tour” will begin in July and includes dates across Adelaide, Darwin, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Sydney. Sydney shows are scheduled for October 30 and 31 at Enmore Theatre.

Tour promoters said the band would perform “a radically different selection of fan favourites each night”.

TISM emerged in the late 1980s and became known for anonymous performances, satirical lyrics and chaotic live shows. The group won two ARIA Awards and reached mainstream success with tracks including “Greg! The Stop Sign!!” and “(He’ll Never Be An) Ol’ Man River”.