Irate Festival, which was set to take place in Louisville, Ky. at the end the month, has apparently been canceled after dozens of bands pulled out of the event over the last few days. The venue that the festival was set to take place at has confirmed the cancellation, though there hasn't been an official announcement from the event itself.
Slaughter to Prevail, Rivers of Nihil, Norma Jean, Madball, The Browning and Cane Hill were among the 82 bands that were originally announced as part of the lineup. However, Lambgoat reported earlier this week that about 38 of the performers had pulled out of the festival, including Left to Suffer, The Last Ten Seconds of Life, Born a New and Boundaries, among others. Additionally, Hardcore Keem, who was set to host the three-day event, confirmed that he'd no longer be hosting it.
Various rape and sexual assault allegations were made against Until the Dead Walk vocalist Ren Young over the the last several days, resulting in the festival dropping the band from the lineup on Tuesday (Aug. 16). Now, in a new statement on the festival's Facebook page, the creators of the event have addressed the allegations and the band drop offs. See the statement and some of the other social posts regarding the situation below.
So, here I go…
There are a lot of things being said on the internet right now. It seems like everyone has something to say, and I don’t blame you. Everyone loves a good show.
The problem is, when people start digging up dirt just to hurt people, it really ruins a good thing. Irate Fest was supposed to be a good thing, and now it’s turned into a battle of who can hit the hardest. Something we could have saved for the pit, but decided to bring to social media instead.
The most important thing we are dealing with right now is the allegations against one of the band members who was set to play at irate fest, and who also happened to invest in our festival. He has immediately been removed from our tours and Fest and we no longer have business ties with him.
The only people who were aware of these awful events before this festival was created are those who have been living with these horrible secrets, and we thank you for coming forward and speaking out. I have been made aware that the words I’ve said in response to a message that was sent to me are being shared across these platforms. I am genuinely sorry if my feelings came across as anything but sympathetic and heartfelt. My point was to say that I don’t want the attention you deserve for being brave and speaking out to be watered down by the events of irate fest. My intention was to apologize for your experience and to say that I side with you and you deserve better than this drama being attached to a situation so awful and violating. I would have never done business with him if I had known.
In regards to the locals issue, I am heartbroken by the response of the local community. My former partner, who is apart of the local Louisville scene, was given the task of getting the locals for this event. He told me on May 9, 2022 that all local bands performing on the bill would be required to sell tickets and that they were notified. When I sent the message to the bands about the selling of tickets, I was rude and wrong for my approach. I do understand the importance of local bands in every community, and I regret the way I went about the messaging. I know it is likely too late for sorry but I am, truthfully.
This festival is so important to me. I am a first time creator in the scene and am learning along the way, with my incredible team, how this business works and how to go about different situations with all the people involved. I have amazing people in my corner who are feeling the effects of this backlash from my words, and I regret that they are dealing with this just as much as I am.
Again, I am so sorry for the confusion, the drama, the strained relationships, and the stress this has caused. Please take this as my heart felt apology. Comments have been turned off because it has become an unsafe situation for my children and my family. Thank you for reading and for understanding.
The venue where the festival was set to take place, MG's Prime Time Cafe, confirmed earlier today (Aug. 18) that the event has been canceled, though no official statements have been made by the actual festival addressing the cancelation. A user on Twitter posted a screenshot of what they say is a direct message conversation with the festival, and it seems that they haven't issued an official cancelation yet because they are attempting to move it to a new location.
See posts from some of the bands that were set to perform, as well as the various statements below. Stay tuned for further updates.
