Legacy punk band NOFX is under fire after making light of the Las Vegas shooting during an on-stage performance in Las Vegas. Frontman Fat Mike commented to the crowd, "At least they were country fans and not punk rock fans."
The shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas killed 58 people and left more than 850 more injured. It was the deadliest shooting by an individual in modern American history.
Fat Mike's comments came seemingly unprovoked during NOFX's set at the Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival. Las Vegas Radio DJ's Dave and Mahoney captured the comments and tweeted them in a video. In the clip, the band finishes a performances and Fat Mike says, "We played a song about Muslims and we didn't get shot. Hooray."
Guitarist Eric Melvin retorts, "I guess you only get shot in Vegas if you are in a country band." Audible groans emit from the crowd before Fat Mike pushes it further. "That sucked, but at least they were country fans and not punk rock fans," he says. He then tries to defend himself, telling the crowd, "You were all thinking it!"
When the Dave and Mahoney account uploaded the video, they called it "disgusting and callous." The alternative rock hosts for Las Vegas' x1075 station then said they'll never support the band ever again.
https://twitter.com/DaveAndMahoney/status/1001849361507106816
Backlash
Some fans of the band called the behavior "par for the course," suggesting those types of comments are part of the band's shows. NOFX has in the past embraced shock value in their performances.
But festival organizers and brands are already speaking out. Festival founders Mark and Shawn Stern denounced the comments and offered a formal apology via social media.
Beer company Stone Brewing announced a halt to their partnership with NOFX. The company said they're immediately severing ties. That includes sponsoring the band's "Punk In Drublic" festivals and a collaborative beer they made with NOFX. The Sterns took it a step further, also saying all profits from that beer will go to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation, which aids victims of the attacks.
https://twitter.com/DaveAndMahoney/status/1002034091477426177
Several Las Vegas venues also reportedly vowed to never book the band again. So far, NOFX has not responded to the backlash.
