Former Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown has spent much of the past year or so spreading easily disproven theories about COVID-19, lambasting lockdowns and generally acting like that fucking guy.
From calling the health crisis a “plandemic” designed to turn us all into “digital slaves”, to releasing a blathering anti-lockdown “protest” song, it’s been pretty sad to see the Madchester veteran turn into your conspiracy theorist uncle ranting at the dinner table.
It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that Brown has chosen to pull out of his planned headline set at the Neighbourhood Weekender festival in the UK this September. The reason? Organisers have reportedly indicated that punters will have to show evidence they’ve been vaccinated to gain entry into the fest.
As you might imagine, Brown is not too pleased with this turn of events. After tweeting late last month that he would “NEVER sing to a crowd who must be vaccinated as a condition of attendance,” he’s stuck to his guns and formally announced his withdrawal from the bill.
“My Saturday night headline show at NHBD Weekender Festival will now not happen! I refuse to accept vaccination proof as condition of entry,” the singer tweeted earlier today.
As a result, Brown has been replaced on the bill by James. Elsewhere on the lineup are the likes of Gerry Cinnamon, Sam Fender, Catfish and the Bottlemen and The Wombats.
See Brown’s tweets on the whole affair, and NHBD’s update, below.
I will NEVER sing to a crowd who must be vaccinated as a condition of attendance. NEVER EVER!
— Ian Brown (@ianbrown) February 26, 2021
My Saturday night headline show at NHBD Weekender Festival will now not happen! I refuse to accept vaccination proof as condition of entry.Refunds are available! X
— Ian Brown (@ianbrown) March 3, 2021
Full update on #NBHDWKND21 below. We can't wait to see you this September!
Last tickets are on sale NOW ? https://t.co/a0qxMfqvX6 pic.twitter.com/9RZKQW3RMe
— NBHD Weekender (@nbhdweekender) March 3, 2021
