A Devilskin concert in New Zealand descended into chaos last weekend after a mess in the mosh pit brought the show to a standstill, left several fans vomiting, and forced staff to pause the gig for a cleanup. Days later, the band has answered the whole saga with a joke of their own.
The show took place July 25 at the University of Otago’s Union Hall in Dunedin — the second night of Devilskin‘s tour marking the 10th anniversary of Be Like The River, the album that topped the New Zealand charts in late 2016. About halfway through the set, according to the Otago Daily Times, a middle-aged audience member fouled the floor in the middle of the pit, and the mess spread as the crowd kept moving.
One concertgoer, who asked not to be named, described the moment it was discovered:
“It was a rock and metal concert, so there was a lot of jumping. And then eventually someone must have, like, looked down and noticed that there was just a huge mess of s**t, just completely spread all in the mosh pit, like, all over the floor.
They continued:
“It’s on people’s feet. People are wearing skirts and s**t is up their legs and stuff, and then one girl went bleh — just vomited on the s**t — and then everyone else starts vomiting.”
The same witness said the sheer size of it was hard to process: “It was huge, like, massive. I haven’t seen one that big before. I thought it was some guy’s shoe, it was so big. It was unbelievable.”
Frontwoman Jennie Skulander stopped the performance from the stage to ask what had happened, and the show was put on hold while staff cleaned the area.
“So, basically, once it was realised that there was a stinking biohazard on the ground, they actually paused the concert for a bit while some poor souls cleaned it all up,” the witness said. “When this was happening, there’s people in the foyer, and you would have thought someone had died. They were just bawling their eyes out — they were just hysterical. There was one lady with vomit in her hair, s**t on her legs, and just crying, crying, crying.”
Another attendee told the paper: “The stink! There were heaps of people dry retching and someone else vomited on the dance floor. It was feral.I’ve been to a lot of gigs and never experienced that. Whoever did it needs to slow down on whatever possessed them to do that. It makes you think — were they just wasted, or should they be in nappies?”
The show did eventually resume once the floor was cleaned, though few in the crowd seemed eager to return to that spot.
For all the gross-out reaction online, the venue’s response casts the incident in a more sympathetic light. Daniel Leamy, president of the Otago University Students’ Association, urged people to treat it as a health issue rather than deliberate behaviour.
“The individual involved remained fully clothed throughout, and this was in no way a deliberate ‘code brown’ situation,” Leamy said. “They were willingly escorted from the venue by security once staff had assessed the best course of action. Staff evaluated and managed an unforeseen and sensitive situation safely and professionally.”
Dunedin police were said to have identified the middle-aged man but filed no charges.
Rather than let the story fester, Devilskin leaned into it. On social media, the band unveiled a tongue-in-cheek mock product they dubbed the “Diaper of Doom,” pitched as essential gear for the rest of the anniversary run.
The band wrote:
“After some unique feedback, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to provide Devilskin fans with the ultimate companion for your Be Like The River 10th Anniversary Tour experience!”
“Devilskin‘s ‘Diaper of Doom‘ has you covered front-to-back, start-to-finish.
“Catch us on tour while you can!”
The joke listing promised an odour filter so “no one will smell your dirt,” a leak-proof design, and extra-warm lining for cold Otago nights.
The anniversary run continues regardless. Devilskin play the Mercury Baypark Stadium Lounge in Tauranga on July 31, followed by dates in Hamilton, Palmerston North, Hastings, Auckland and Wellington stretching into late October.
Devilskin 2026 Tour Dates:
- July 31: Stadium Lounge, Mercury Baypark, Tauranga (Mount Maunganui)
- Aug 1: BNZ Theatre, Hamilton
- Aug 7: Fly Palmy Arena, Palmerston North
- Aug 8: Toitoi Opera House, Hastings
- Sep 25: Spark Arena, Auckland
