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Metal Band Banned For Guns, Violent Imagery
Chicago’s Thalia Hall canceled a performance following community complaints about the alleged violent nature of the band’s music and its use of guns during shows.
Roadrunner Records, to which King 810 is signed, posted on its Instagram page Dec. 2 a screen shot of an email message from the show’s talent buyer, explaining his reasoning for canceling the Dec. 18 show.
In the message, the official said: “We are ending 2016 with the highest rate of gun violence in Chicago’s history and people are particularly sensitive. Defending the show, in the current environment, is becoming more and more difficult. We would like to cancel the event.”
King 810’s vocalist, David Gunn, responded with a video on the band’s Facebook page, stating: “If anyone ever comes through the front door with automatic rifles … they’ll probably be shot from the stage. So the guns aren’t going away and we don’t apologize for anything.”
In response to an inquiry as to whether the guns used during King 810’s performances are real or props, David Gunn told Pollstar in a statement, “It wouldn’t be very possible to shoot someone from the stage with a fake prop gun.”
The band has missed previous performances due to band member arrests or incarcerations but usually venue operators know what they are signing up for when they book the group responsible for such hits as “Killem All,” “Murder Murder Murder” and “War Time.”
The show’s buyer declined further comment to Pollstar.