Photo Credit: Bob Vylan’s Facebook
Bob Vylan faces more cancellations following their controversial set at Glastonbury, getting dropped from the lineups of music festivals in Manchester and France.
Punk duo Bob Vylan were set to headline Manchester’s Radar Festival at Victoria Warehouse this weekend, but organizers have confirmed they had been dropped from the lineup. The group was also set to perform at French festival Kave Fest on Sunday, but organizers confirmed to the BBC that the appearance had also been nixed.
Both cancellations come on the heels of the group’s controversial appearance at Glastonbury, where their lead singer led the crowd in chants of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Force].” That move sparked worldwide criticism, with the UK Prime Minister calling it “appalling hate speech.”
Bob Vylan has responded to the criticism on social media, saying they have been “targeted for speaking up.” “We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs, or any other race or group of people,” they wrote. “We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine.”
Despite rapidly becoming persona non grata at live music events, the group has doubled down on their position since the recent cancellations. “Silence is not an option. We will be fine; the people of Palestine are hurting,” they said, adding they would return to Manchester in the future.
In addition to the UK and French festival cancellations, a German music venue has also confirmed that Bob Vylan will no longer be opening for US band Gogol Bordello at an appearance in Cologne in September. The U.S. State Department also revoked travel visas for the duo, putting the kibosh on their upcoming U.S. tour.
The backlash over Bob Vylan’s actions mirrors that of Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, who have been similarly shut out of numerous live appearances following their opposition to the war in Gaza and pro-Palestinian remarks. Nevertheless, the band was permitted to perform at Glastonbury, where their set drew ire for legions of fans in the crowd waving Palestinian flags.
