'Incredibly difficult experience': Local musician refused entry into US

The Advertiser

4 hours ago

Newcastle musician Austin Mackay has described the situation as "heartbreaking" after he was refused entry into the United States for a music festival due to a visa issue.
The former St Francis Xavier student was en route to Nashville last week to perform at the Country Music Association (CMA) Fest when he was detained for 16 hours at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), before being sent back to Australia.
The four-day CMA Fest is one of the biggest country music festivals in the US and featured Luke Bryan, Kelsea Ballerini, Jason Aldean and Australian stars Keith Urban and Casey Barnes on the lineup.
Newcastle's 2025 Golden Guitar-winning female artist of the year, Max Jackson, also performed at CMA Fest over the weekend.
Mackay was booked to perform on the Spotlight Stage as part of Fan Fair X, where artists play acoustic sets in front of intimate audiences.
"Despite having what I believed to be the correct visa and all the official invitations to perform, I was detained at LAX for 16 hours and ultimately had to return home to Australia without being able to play the shows I'd worked so hard for," Mackay wrote on social media.
"It was an incredibly difficult experience, not only emotionally but also professionally and financially.
"Missing the opportunity to play at CMA Fest is heartbreaking."
Mackay has faced and overcome numerous setbacks in his young career.
Mackay's talent was first identified in 2019 when his school indie-rock band Maple Syrup won a St Francis Xavier battle of the bands to support rock legends Kiss and the Screaming Jets at the Newcastle Supercars concert.
Unfortunately, Kiss cancelled the gig due to frontman Paul Stanley's health issue.
Mackay's next band, Honey Hills, was also gathering momentum before the pandemic ended that project and Mackay focused on his solo career.
Since then he's released the EPs Dancing Through The Fire (2022) and Hearts On Fire (2024) and steered his music from indie rock towards a more contemplative folk-country sound.
He has supported the likes of Morgan Evans, Brad Cox, The Dreggs, and Thirsty Merc and in February he played at the Howlin' Country music festival on the Newcastle Foreshore.
Newcastle musician Austin Mackay has described the situation as "heartbreaking" after he was refused entry into the United States for a music festival due to a visa issue.
The former St Francis Xavier student was en route to Nashville last week to perform at the Country Music Association (CMA) Fest when he was detained for 16 hours at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), before being sent back to Australia.
The four-day CMA Fest is one of the biggest country music festivals in the US and featured Luke Bryan, Kelsea Ballerini, Jason Aldean and Australian stars Keith Urban and Casey Barnes on the lineup.
Newcastle's 2025 Golden Guitar-winning female artist of the year, Max Jackson, also performed at CMA Fest over the weekend.
Mackay was booked to perform on the Spotlight Stage as part of Fan Fair X, where artists play acoustic sets in front of intimate audiences.
"Despite having what I believed to be the correct visa and all the official invitations to perform, I was detained at LAX for 16 hours and ultimately had to return home to Australia without being able to play the shows I'd worked so hard for," Mackay wrote on social media.
"It was an incredibly difficult experience, not only emotionally but also professionally and financially.
"Missing the opportunity to play at CMA Fest is heartbreaking."
Mackay has faced and overcome numerous setbacks in his young career.
Mackay's talent was first identified in 2019 when his school indie-rock band Maple Syrup won a St Francis Xavier battle of the bands to support rock legends Kiss and the Screaming Jets at the Newcastle Supercars concert.
Unfortunately, Kiss cancelled the gig due to frontman Paul Stanley's health issue.
Mackay's next band, Honey Hills, was also gathering momentum before the pandemic ended that project and Mackay focused on his solo career.
Since then he's released the EPs Dancing Through The Fire (2022) and Hearts On Fire (2024) and steered his music from indie rock towards a more contemplative folk-country sound.
He has supported the likes of Morgan Evans, Brad Cox, The Dreggs, and Thirsty Merc and in February he played at the Howlin' Country music festival on the Newcastle Foreshore.
Newcastle musician Austin Mackay has described the situation as "heartbreaking" after he was refused entry into the United States for a music festival due to a visa issue.
The former St Francis Xavier student was en route to Nashville last week to perform at the Country Music Association (CMA) Fest when he was detained for 16 hours at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), before being sent back to Australia.
The four-day CMA Fest is one of the biggest country music festivals in the US and featured Luke Bryan, Kelsea Ballerini, Jason Aldean and Australian stars Keith Urban and Casey Barnes on the lineup.
Newcastle's 2025 Golden Guitar-winning female artist of the year, Max Jackson, also performed at CMA Fest over the weekend.
Mackay was booked to perform on the Spotlight Stage as part of Fan Fair X, where artists play acoustic sets in front of intimate audiences.
"Despite having what I believed to be the correct visa and all the official invitations to perform, I was detained at LAX for 16 hours and ultimately had to return home to Australia without being able to play the shows I'd worked so hard for," Mackay wrote on social media.
"It was an incredibly difficult experience, not only emotionally but also professionally and financially.
"Missing the opportunity to play at CMA Fest is heartbreaking."
Mackay has faced and overcome numerous setbacks in his young career.
Mackay's talent was first identified in 2019 when his school indie-rock band Maple Syrup won a St Francis Xavier battle of the bands to support rock legends Kiss and the Screaming Jets at the Newcastle Supercars concert.
Unfortunately, Kiss cancelled the gig due to frontman Paul Stanley's health issue.
Mackay's next band, Honey Hills, was also gathering momentum before the pandemic ended that project and Mackay focused on his solo career.
Since then he's released the EPs Dancing Through The Fire (2022) and Hearts On Fire (2024) and steered his music from indie rock towards a more contemplative folk-country sound.
He has supported the likes of Morgan Evans, Brad Cox, The Dreggs, and Thirsty Merc and in February he played at the Howlin' Country music festival on the Newcastle Foreshore.
Newcastle musician Austin Mackay has described the situation as "heartbreaking" after he was refused entry into the United States for a music festival due to a visa issue.
The former St Francis Xavier student was en route to Nashville last week to perform at the Country Music Association (CMA) Fest when he was detained for 16 hours at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), before being sent back to Australia.
The four-day CMA Fest is one of the biggest country music festivals in the US and featured Luke Bryan, Kelsea Ballerini, Jason Aldean and Australian stars Keith Urban and Casey Barnes on the lineup.
Newcastle's 2025 Golden Guitar-winning female artist of the year, Max Jackson, also performed at CMA Fest over the weekend.
Mackay was booked to perform on the Spotlight Stage as part of Fan Fair X, where artists play acoustic sets in front of intimate audiences.
"Despite having what I believed to be the correct visa and all the official invitations to perform, I was detained at LAX for 16 hours and ultimately had to return home to Australia without being able to play the shows I'd worked so hard for," Mackay wrote on social media.
"It was an incredibly difficult experience, not only emotionally but also professionally and financially.
"Missing the opportunity to play at CMA Fest is heartbreaking."
Mackay has faced and overcome numerous setbacks in his young career.
Mackay's talent was first identified in 2019 when his school indie-rock band Maple Syrup won a St Francis Xavier battle of the bands to support rock legends Kiss and the Screaming Jets at the Newcastle Supercars concert.
Unfortunately, Kiss cancelled the gig due to frontman Paul Stanley's health issue.
Mackay's next band, Honey Hills, was also gathering momentum before the pandemic ended that project and Mackay focused on his solo career.
Since then he's released the EPs Dancing Through The Fire (2022) and Hearts On Fire (2024) and steered his music from indie rock towards a more contemplative folk-country sound.
He has supported the likes of Morgan Evans, Brad Cox, The Dreggs, and Thirsty Merc and in February he played at the Howlin' Country music festival on the Newcastle Foreshore.