The organizers of a Malaysian event that was canceled last month following a contentious performance by the British band The 1975 have threatened the band with legal action.
The organizers of Good Vibes Festival have sent a warning letter to the band, seeking compensation.
The concert was canceled when the band’s frontman, Matt Healy, criticized the country’s anti-LGBT legislation.
During the band’s main stage performance, Healy delivered a profanity-laced speech to the audience before kissing a fellow band member.
The event in Kuala Lumpur was canceled the next day after Malaysia’s communications ministry issued an order as part of its “unwavering stance against any parties that challenge, ridicule, or contravene Malaysian laws.”
Homosexuality is banned in Malaysia and punishable by a 20-year prison sentence; Healy’s performance was also criticized by members of the country’s LGBT population as “performative activism” that would make their life more difficult.
Future Sound Asia, the event’s organizers, stated in a statement that they had sent the band a Letter of Claim – effectively a last warning – requesting that they accept their liability and reimburse the organisers for any damages caused.
They stated that if the band did not comply, legal action would be taken in English courts.
The FSA sharply condemned the band’s behavior, particularly Healy’s “use of abusive language, equipment damage, and indecent stage behavior.”
It said the band “intentionally violated” its agreement with the organizers, resulting in the event’s cancellation and “significant financial losses” for FSA, as well as a severe impact on local artists and companies relying on the festival.
Healy was heard addressing the crowd on video footage that the band’s choice to perform in Malaysia was a “mistake.”
“When we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it,” he said. “I don’t see the [expletive] point, right, I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with.
“Unfortunately you don’t get a set of loads of uplifting songs because I’m [expletive] furious,” the frontman continued. “And that’s not fair on you, because you’re not representative of your government. Because you’re young people, and I’m sure a lot of you are gay and progressive and cool.”
Healy and the band’s bassist, Ross MacDonald, then kissed while the song I Like America & America Likes Me was playing.
Soon after, Healy and the band exited the stage, with the singer addressing the audience, “Alright, we just got banned from Kuala Lumpur, see you later.”
Later, the band canceled shows in Indonesia and Taiwan.
Since 2013, The Smashing Pumpkins, Ellie Goulding, and Lorde have headlined the annual Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur.