Phoebe Bridgers played a headline show at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday, 8th February. The venue’s namesake is an Australian former tennis player and Christian minister with a history of making homophobic and transphobic comments.
During her set, Bridgers took a moment to slam the venue’s namesake. “Fuck that stupid-ass, dumbass bitch. Fuck that stupid cunt. Change [the] name!” See that moment via fan-shot footage below.
Phoebe Bridgers: “Fuck That Stupid-Ass, Dumbass Bitch”
Phoebe Bridgers saying “fuck that stupid cunt” about Margaret Court at Margaret Court Arena at her Melbourne show tonight
icon fr “i think hate is undervalued”
i don’t even know who margaret court is pic.twitter.com/4MOyB6LvZJ
— chrystal christie? (@ChrystalChristi) February 8, 2023
After leading the crowd in a “Fuck Margaret Court” chant, Bridgers extolled the virtues of well-intentioned hate. “I think hate is undervalued. I think it’s a fucking weird white supremacist idea that hate is bad or something. You know what I mean?” she said.
“It’s like, hate is like what moves things throughout history. I hate that stupid bitch. Hate is how you protect yourself. What, are you never supposed to be angry, ever?” Watch that moment below.
@_frankc Fuck Margaret court!! #phoebebridgers #reuniontour #boygenius #melbourne #punisher #foryou ♬ original sound – Frank
In the early 2010s, Court was criticised for opposing marriage equality, saying that passing such a law would “legitimise what God calls abominable sexual practices.” In 2017, there were widespread calls for Margaret Court Arena to be renamed in light of her views. In 2019, during a sermon she delivered at her church, Court said that children transitioning gender was the work of the “devil.”
Bridgers is far from the first artist to criticise Margaret Court while performing at the Melbourne venue. In mid-2017, LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy addressed Court’s comments. “I’m not one to get in old people’s faces for being ignorant, but when you come after my family, my friends… you can go fuck yourself,” he said.
Later that year, Placebo played at the arena. During the show, bassist Stefan Olsdal – who is gay – similarly led a call-and-response chant of “Margaret Court, fuck you.” A couple of months later, Tash Sultana also called out Court while playing at the venue.
Bridgers’ show was one of two Australian headline dates she performed this month, having played a show at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on Monday night (6th February). The singer-songwriter is one of the headline acts at this year’s Laneway Festival, appearing at the festival’s Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth legs this weekend.
Further Reading
Placebo Call Margaret Court “Offensive” & “Outrageous” Ahead Of Their Show At Her Arena
Sigur Rós Ace Margaret Court, Announce Marriage Equality Fundraiser At Her Arena
Musicians Respond To US Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade Overturning
