As previously reported, Evergreen Terrace, Southpaw, Let Me Bleed, and American Hollow recently pulled out of the “Shell Shock II” festival in Orlando, FL after learning of the involvement of several entities including Kyle Rittenhouse, who infamously shot three men during a protest for Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI. Two of those men ended up dying, but Rittenhouse was acquitted. Despite the controversy, the festival will be moving forward on October 19 as planned with Texas based Slipknot tribute act SiC set to headline.
Organizers commented:
“We believe in a united front among our brothers and sisters who continue to fight the battles even after having served their country. This includes not only our veterans but also the first responders who stand alongside them, confronting the challenges and struggles that persist long after their service. Together, we form a strong and resilient community, dedicated to supporting each other through every battle.
Each year, numerous, major music festivals take place, but few prioritize mental health, and even fewer (if any) specifically address PTSD. We understand the brevity of its mental toll and trauma. In addition to this initiative, all our jointly owned companies share a unified mission with our sponsors to support military personnel and Veterans, law enforcement, first responders, expressing gratitude for their sacrifice to our country.”
In related news, founder and CEO Tyler Hoover has since responded to the backlash as well:
“I’m here to tell you — you’re not punk, you’re not hardcore. You people, the people that are trolling and the people that are talking shit, you guys are the mentally ill portion of society. You guys are the ones that are manipulated. You guys are the ones who are sold tickets to. Every single person and every single band and every single promotor. And every single outlet that I’ve talked to have told me I’m conservative. But the fans, the lynch mob here to take down Shell Shock will not win. It doesn’t matter because guess what? You can’t kill the spirit. You can’t kill punk. And you can’t fucking kill Shell Shock.”
Metal Anarchy 
You must be logged in to post a comment.