Bob Vylan’s Concert Canceled After Controversial Comments on Charlie Kirk

Tilburg, Netherlands – The punk duo Bob Vylan has had their concert canceled after frontman Bobby Vylan made controversial remarks about the late right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk during a show in Amsterdam.

Kirk was fatally shot last week in Utah, and during their performance at Paradiso, Bobby Vylan referred to him as “an absolute piece of shit” and added, “Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk, you piece of shit.” These comments have sparked outrage, leading the Tilburg venue 013 to cancel their scheduled concert on September 16.

The venue, while acknowledging that the comments were made within the context of punk and activism, stated that they felt the remarks went “too far” and expressed disapproval of the trivialization of political violence. They previously allowed Bob Vylan to perform after controversy surrounded their set at Glastonbury, where Bobby led chants of “death to the IDF.” This performance led to investigations by police and the revocation of the band’s visas for an upcoming U.S. tour.

Bobby Vylan responded to the backlash in a video, stating, “At no point during yesterday’s show was Charlie Kirk’s death celebrated.” He stressed that his comment did not amount to a celebration of Kirk’s death, criticizing media interpretations of his statements.

In reaction to the cancellation, the band tweeted, “They want us down so bad but we just played a sold-out Paradiso. It’s always love in Amsterdam.” Despite backlash from various quarters, Bob Vylan has garnered support from fans who believe in their artistic expression.

The situation highlights the ongoing tensions between artistic freedom and public sentiment surrounding political figures, particularly in the current charged climate surrounding issues of free speech and activism.