Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan have had their upcoming concert in the Netherlands cancelled after frontman Bobby Vylan sparked outrage with remarks about the killing of US right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The decision came after a viral video showed the performer referring to Kirk as a “piece of s***” during the band’s show at Amsterdam’s Club Paradiso on Saturday.
Kirk, a prominent ally of former US President Donald Trump, was fatally shot in the neck while addressing students at a Utah university last Wednesday. The shooting has shocked US politics and drawn international attention, with tributes pouring in from conservative leaders. Against this backdrop, Bobby Vylan’s onstage comments quickly gained traction online, provoking backlash from political figures including Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, who labelled the band’s actions “irresponsible and dangerous.”
In a video posted on social media platform X, the frontman sought to clarify his remarks. “At no point during yesterday’s show was Charlie Kirk’s death celebrated,” he said. “I did call him a piece of s***. That much is true. But at no point was his death celebrated. If it was, go find me a quote… you’re not gonna find it, because it didn’t happen.” He ended his response by urging critics to “calm down.” Despite his denial, the comments stirred a wave of criticism and more than 25,000 responses online.
The fallout prompted the 013 venue in Tilburg, where Bob Vylan had been scheduled to perform on Tuesday, to pull the plug on the concert. In a statement, the venue said the band’s recent comments had crossed a line. “While we understand that these statements were made in the context of punk and activism, and that reporting is sometimes less nuanced, we still believe these new statements go too far,” the venue said. “They no longer fall within the scope of what we can offer a platform.”
The decision is the latest in a string of controversies for the London-based band, who are already under investigation by Avon and Somerset Police in the UK for chants of “death to the IDF” during their Glastonbury set earlier this year. At the time, the duo insisted the slogan was directed at the Israeli army and not the Jewish community, but criticism has continued to follow them on their European tour.
The 013 venue acknowledged it had initially allowed the Tilburg show to go ahead despite the Glastonbury backlash, citing an “understanding for the artist’s anger” over the violence in Israel. However, it stressed that the band’s latest remarks were beyond what the venue considered acceptable. “We can no longer justify offering a platform in this case,” it concluded.
Bob Vylan, who won a MOBO Award in 2022 and built their reputation on blending punk energy with politically charged rap, have not yet announced whether further shows on their tour will be affected. Their outspoken stance on global politics has earned them both a loyal following and fierce criticism.
With emotions still raw following Kirk’s killing, the incident highlights the increasingly tense intersection of politics, activism, and live performance. For Bob Vylan, whose music thrives on provocation, the cancelled gig signals just how volatile that intersection can be.
