The 1975 cancel two Asian shows after Malaysia kiss controversy
dailyrecord.co.ukThe 1975 have cancelled two tour dates in Asia after a Malaysian music festival was axed over pro-LGBT+ comments made by the band’s frontman Matty Healy.The English pop-rock group announced that performances at the We The Fest in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sunday and at the Taipei Music Centre in Taiwan on Tuesday will not go ahead before their American tour kicks off next month.Healy, 34, made a speech about homosexuality, which is illegal in Malaysia, and kissed bassist Ross MacDonald on stage at the Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.Festival organisers said on Saturday the remainder of the three-day event had been cancelled following the “controversial conduct and remarks” made by Healy.Australian singer-songwriter The Kid Laroi and American rock band The Strokes had been due to play.A statement from the band was posted on the We The Fest Instagram page on Sunday, saying: “The 1975 regret to announce that their forthcoming shows in Jakarta and Taipei will no longer be going ahead as planned.“The band never take the decision to cancel a show lightly and had been eagerly looking forward to playing for fans in Jakarta and Taipei but unfortunately due to the current circumstances, it is impossible to proceed with the current shows.”“Thank you for your understand and continued support.”The Indonesia parliament approved a ban on sex outside of marriage last year and there are laws around LGBT+ rights in the religious Aceh province.In 2019, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to recognise same-sex marriage.The 1975 is due to play Lollapalooza in Chicago, Waikiki Shell in Hawaii and Outside Lands in San Francisco next month before returning to the UK for Reading and Leeds Festivals.On Friday, Healy said in footage
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