The 1975, a British pop-rock band, has been forced to cancel their upcoming shows in Indonesia and Taiwan. This decision comes after their performance at a music festival in Malaysia was abruptly cut short. The band’s frontman, Matty Healy, made controversial comments about Malaysia’s anti-gay laws and also engaged in an on-stage kiss with a bandmate.
The band was excited to perform for their fans at Jakarta’s We the Fest on Sunday, July 23, and at the Taipei Music Center on Tuesday, July 25, as part of their Asia tour. However, due to the current circumstances surrounding their previous performance, they had no choice but to cancel these scheduled shows.
In a statement posted on We the Fest’s Twitter page, The 1975 expressed their regret, saying, “The 1975 regret to announce that their forthcoming shows in Jakarta and Taipei will no longer be going ahead as planned. The band never takes the decision to cancel a show lightly and had been eagerly looking forward to playing for fans in Jakarta and Taipei but unfortunately, due to current circumstances, it is impossible to proceed with the scheduled shows.”
The controversy arose when Matty Healy openly criticized Malaysia’s LGBTQ laws during the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur on July 21. He also engaged in a kiss with bassist Ross MacDonald on stage. As a response, the festival’s organizer, Future Sounds Asia, decided to cancel the remaining days of the festival.
Some frequently asked questions regarding the cancellations include why The 1975 had to cancel shows in Indonesia and Taiwan, which happened due to the controversy surrounding Matty Healy’s comments and on-stage kiss. Another question is about the cancellation of the Good Vibes Festival in Malaysia, which was prompted by Matty Healy’s criticism of Malaysia’s LGBTQ laws and his on-stage kiss with a bandmate.
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