UPDATED: NOFX lose Punk in Drublic festival sponsorship, drop off festival following Las Vegas shooting remarks
NOFX caused quite a stir during their headlining set at Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas on Sunday. Amidst the band’s standard banter, they joked about the murders at the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting in Vegas that left 58 people dead.
“I guess you only get shot in Vegas if you’re in a country band,” said guitarist Eric Melvin. “At least they were country fans and not punk rock fans,” frontman Fat Mike replied.
According to a report in The Blast, Stone Brewing, which produces the NOFX beer and was the primary sponsor for the band’s Punk in Drublic festival, has cut all ties with the band.
“We at Stone Brewing are aware of NOFX’s insensitive and indefensible statements this past weekend. As a result, we are severing all our ties with NOFX, including festival sponsorship and the production of our collaboration beer,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.
“We respect punk rock, and the DIY ethos for which it stands,” the statement continued. “To us, it means standing up for things you believe in, and fearlessly committing to what’s right. And it is for that reason that Stone Brewing is immediately disassociating ourselves from the band NOFX. Stone had a sponsorship deal for this summer’s Punk In Drublic festivals. Emphasis ‘had.’ That sponsorship is now canceled.”
The organizers behind Punk Rock Bowling also chimed in with a statement criticizing the band’s comments: “Las Vegas is home to the Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival, and we do not condone the statements made from our stage on Sunday night. We take the safety of our festival goers seriously and want to relay that, there is nothing funny about people being shot and murdered, ever.”
Check out footage of the comments below. The Punk in Drublic festival is set to host a Summer Camp edition of the festival in Ohio this weekend. For more information visit the festival’s official site.
UPDATE: NOFX will no longer be performing at the Punk in Drublic camping weekend in Ohio. Accoring to the festival producers:
Camp Punk In Drublic festival producers have announced that NOFX and Me First And The Gimme Gimmes (featuring Fat Mike) will not be performing at this weekend’s festival at Legend Valley near Columbus, OH.
Descendents have been added to the Saturday festival lineup, replacing NOFX, and The Vandals have been added to the Friday Night Kickoff Party, replacing Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.
While NOFX is known for their dark, uncomfortable humor, the festival producers of Camp Punk In Drublic are shocked and disappointed by the band’s recent statements about the Route 91 Harvest Festival victims and country music fans. These statements do not reflect the feelings or views of the Camp Punk In Drublic festival, its staff, and its sponsors.
The festival producers support fans of all music genres and take safety very seriously at all of their events.
Out of respect for Route 91 Harvest Festival victims and their families, Camp Punk In Drublic will make a donation to a fund benefitting those affected by the 2017 tragedy.
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