Jet will go ahead with plans to incorporate the Australian flag in their stage backdrop during the Big Day Out, despite this week's controversy surrounding the national emblem.
Promoter Ken West this week prompted predictable indignation when he announced that the Big Day Out would discourage patrons at the Sydney event from brandishing the flag.Last year's Sydney concert, which fell on Australia Day, took place only weeks after racial riots in the Sydney suburb of Cronulla between white nationalists and Australians of Lebanese heritage. Reports from the concert suggested the flag continued to be used as a symbol of white nationalism, with some concertgoers threatened to "kiss the flag or be punched".
West's request that flags not be brought to the show (which has this year been moved from Australia Day) was met with disdain from both sides of politics and the mainstream media.
Wisely, Jet have decided to distance themselves from both camps, noting that the decision regarding the backdrop was made months ago.
Frontman Nic Cester said in a statement, "We are proud to be part of this musical heritage and its got nothing to do with political point scoring or racist idiots and their misguided beliefs."
Drummer Chris Cester was bemused that the band would have to justify their appropriation of the flag, adding, "It's crazy to think that we'd have to defend our decision to incorporate the flag into our backdrop for fear that people might get the wrong impression, but I guess these are pretty crazy times."
The Sydney Big Day Out goes ahead on January 25.
