Music Festival Organiser Slams Band For Not Abiding By Guidelines

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The 1975 singer Matty Healy criticised the country’s position on LGBT before going on to kiss a male bandmate at the Good Vibes Festival last night.PETALING JAYA: The Good Vibes Festival’s concert organisers have slammed The 1975 singer Matty Healy for not abiding by guidelines agreed upon before last night’s controversial show.
Earlier today, communications and digital minister Fahmi Fadzil shut down the three-day festival after Healy criticised the country’s position on LGBT before going on to kiss a male bandmate.
In a statement, Future Sound Asia (FSA) said that before the festival, The 1975’s management team had reassured them that Healy and the band would adhere to local performance guidelines.
“Regrettably, Healy did not honour these assurances, despite our trust in their commitment,” it said.
“Healy’s actions took us by complete surprise, and we halted the show as promptly as feasible following the incident.”
FSA said it firmly upholds its policy requiring all artistes who perform at its festival to respect and adhere to Malaysian law and guidelines.
“We expect these principles to be maintained during performances.”
It said, moving forward it is committed to learning from this experience and taking necessary steps to reinforce communication with artistes and their management teams.
It will emphasise the importance of professionalism and adherence to local regulations to ensure that future events are conducted with even greater care and diligence.
Ads by KioskedFSA also apologised to all of its ticket holders, vendors, sponsors and partners.
“We are aware of the time, energy and efforts you have put into making this festival a success, and we value your steadfast support,” it said.
“We will update you on refund mechanics as soon as possible.”
Puspal, the agency responsible for approving permits for foreign artistes, said a police report has been lodged and The 1975 has been blacklisted from performing in Malaysia.
In a Bernama report, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail also called for a more comprehensive screening and profiling process for foreign artistes before they are allowed to perform in the country. - FMT

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