Veteran NYHC outfit Merauder‘s set at the New Cross Inn tomorrow, August 05th, has become a controversial affair. Promoter Real Life Presents have backed out of handling the gig, issuing the below statement on the matter earlier today, August 04th:
“We will no longer be promoting the Merauder show tomorrow.
Like quite a lot of you, we booked this show in good faith and have been shocked by events in the last day or so.
With 350 tickets sold and a venue + lineup fully prepared for a sold out show, there is no way to cancel at short notice without major losses for the venue, staff & other bands.
We try to make these shows as welcoming a space as possible across races, genders and spiritualities both on-stage and off, and I’m forever impossibly grateful for the trust we get across the wider community in trying to do that. It’s mortifying to me that we’ve ended up in this situation.
We have agreed with New Cross Live to donate a share of profits to Stop Hate UK and Gendered Intelligence – I will provide the full amounts and payment proofs after the show is settled. I will also add to these donations out of my own pocket at the end of this month. I don’t believe that this will undo any offence, however I hope that people are able to recognise this as it is intended, a show of solidarity and an apology to those disparaged in this.”
The controversy associated with the band reportedly seems to stem from a number of reposts shared on social media by the band’s vocalist Jorge Rosado. His Instagram profile features a handful of reposts of videos which host controversial opinions in relation to religion, sexual identity and more. Those reposts are said to have been getting pushback on social media recently amid the band’s overseas touring.
