Although some people reported difficulty purchasing tickets, Pandemonium’s website was still offering tickets for sale on Friday, for the Melbourne and Bribie Island shows.

The national music festival attracted controversy earlier this year because it was initially slated to be held in Sydney’s Domain on Anzac Day. Organisers of the festival moved it to Cathy Freeman Park in the Sydney Olympic Park Precinct at Homebush, after NSW Premier Chris Minns stepped in to say it “wasn’t appropriate to have a rock concert in the middle of the city on Anzac Day”.

“That part of the city should be, and will be, a place for Diggers to commemorate with their friends and their family and for fellow Australians to commemorate those that have given their lives in the service of our country,” Minns said at the time.

McManus said in January, he had received backing for the Sydney Anzac Day event and a fundraising plan from federal Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh. McManus said his company, Apex Entertainment, had committed to donating $10 for each ticket sold, to two veterans’ charities, Wounded Heroes Australia and Legacy.

Concerns over potential cancellation, follow the cancellation of the Falls Festival and Dark Mofo, two of the highest-profile festivals to have been canned in recent years.

Loading

Just last month organisers of Groovin the Moo festival, Cattleyard Promotions, announced they were cancelling all six regional festivals, just eight days after tickets had gone on sale. They cited poor ticket sales as the reason.

Over the past decade, over 40 Australian music festivals have been cancelled, postponed or evacuated due to heat, fires, rain or floods.

Splendour in the Grass, one of Australia’s biggest festivals, struggled with low ticket sales last year. Senior figures in the music industry are keeping a close eye on sales and turnout this year, as a barometer on the health of Australia’s live music scene.