Pearl Jam Cancels 4/20 Raleigh, NC Concert in Opposition to HB2; Official Band Statement

KV4053

"We had to make a real tough call about what we would do about the situation in North Carolina. Because they have a law there that broadly discriminates against a whole group of people. And I can't tell from here if you are booing North Carolina, if you're booing us for having to decide that we are not gonna play there. I would understand that too.

It was a hard process because we thought we could still play and make things right and we could fortify all the people on the ground working to repeal this despicable law.

We thought we could take the money and give it to them and still play the show, but the reality is there is nothing like the immense power of boycotting and putting a strain and it's a shame because people are going to affected that don't deserve it but it could be the way that ultimately is gonna affect change, so again, we just couldn't find it in ourselves in good conscience to cross a picket line when there was a movement so…

So we apologize to those in Raleigh, we apologize to those who are going to Raleigh, we apologize to the locals who probably believe in the same things that we do. They have a reason to be pissed, and we're pissed off too. But we gotta be pissed off at the right people and get them to change their minds because they made a mistake, a big mistake and they can fix it.

So tonight we play this one for all the soldiers in the LGBT community."

rssesq

it made the ticker on that pinko commie Morning Joe show. lol

inmyNC

There is no right answer here on the debate to this law. Cancelling a show IMO wasn't an answer. I would assume that transgendered people make up less then 1% of the NC population. I have no fact to back that I may be wrong but by giving them rights to use whichever bathroom they choose is taking away from the rights of people that choose to share a bathroom with members of the same sex. Isn't it???. There's no way to make every citizen of this country content ..there just isn't. I wouldn't have a problem with a member of the opposite sex using the same bathroom I do. Although I understand why some may have a issue with that.. There's just no right answer. Everyone here is way to far one way or another. I can see the argument from both sides. In the end It just seems to me that public bathrooms are marked men/or women.. We can't change every law for everyone. The band cancelled so the fans loose, the states revenue loses, the band loses. This is to me where progressiveness has gone a bit far.. I want everyone happy transgendered, gay, straight,young,old ,black and white. But eutopia doesn't exist.. Thanks for reading....

PJ_Soul

RobbyD462 said:

How does this help?
Im mean really.... all it does is hurt more people along the way.

Nothing will change.Instead of talking about it at the show and raising awareness about this issue they hide from it!

Why because the Boss said so?

I feel bad for all of you who had this decision made for you with less than a couple days notice.
PJ knew if they would play or not instead they waited and waited.....

Refunding money doesnt hurt the band they have money.Your welcome by the way fellas.
Do your job if you can call it that.

PJ should have shirts or stickers made up for everybody from that show.
PJ should eat the cost like what a lot of these great people had to do along the way.

Imagine if everyone boycotted a PJ show....

This really makes me think twice about destination shows for this band on the futre.

But this kind of protest does have a track record of helping. I am not clear on why you have written it off as worthless protest, or how you or anyone thinks having the show would be more effective somehow. And I think we all know they aren't doing it "because the Boss said so."
As for the two days notice thing... not sure what is behind that timing. If I were to guess i would say it's because that causes the most inconvenience for everyone (not travelling fans specifically - I see no reason for any band to ever take that factor into consideration), which I believe is the whole point. Cancelling with plenty of time would severely reduce the effectiveness of the action. Leaving folks high and dry I think is the idea. Protest is all about causing disruption and inconvenience in order to force change. I feel like a lot of people have very much forgotten that. They seem to think that protest should be planned so that it doesn't disrupt or inconvenience anything or anyone, lol, which would render it completely ineffective.

HughFreakingDillon

PJ_Soul said:

RobbyD462 said:

How does this help?
Im mean really.... all it does is hurt more people along the way.

Nothing will change.Instead of talking about it at the show and raising awareness about this issue they hide from it!

Why because the Boss said so?

I feel bad for all of you who had this decision made for you with less than a couple days notice.
PJ knew if they would play or not instead they waited and waited.....

Refunding money doesnt hurt the band they have money.Your welcome by the way fellas.
Do your job if you can call it that.

PJ should have shirts or stickers made up for everybody from that show.
PJ should eat the cost like what a lot of these great people had to do along the way.

Imagine if everyone boycotted a PJ show....

This really makes me think twice about destination shows for this band on the futre.

But this kind of protest does have a track record of helping. I am not clear on why you have written it off as worthless protest, or how you or anyone thinks having the show would be more effective somehow. And I think we all know they aren't doing it "because the Boss said so."
As for the two days notice thing... not sure what is behind that timing. If I were to guess i would say it's because that causes the most inconvenience for everyone (not travelling fans specifically - I see no reason for any band to ever take that factor into consideration), which I believe is the whole point. Cancelling with plenty of time would severely reduce the effectiveness of the action. Leaving folks high and dry I think is the idea. Protest is all about causing disruption and inconvenience in order to force change. I feel like a lot of people have very much forgotten that. They seem to think that protest should be planned so that it doesn't disrupt or inconvenience anything or anyone, lol, which would render it completely ineffective.

yes, of course it was planned for maximum effect. but that's the inherent problem. who is it disrupting the most? the lawmakers, or the fans and people who work for a living?

PJ_Soul

HughFreakingDillon said:

PJ_Soul said:

RobbyD462 said:

How does this help?
Im mean really.... all it does is hurt more people along the way.

Nothing will change.Instead of talking about it at the show and raising awareness about this issue they hide from it!

Why because the Boss said so?

I feel bad for all of you who had this decision made for you with less than a couple days notice.
PJ knew if they would play or not instead they waited and waited.....

Refunding money doesnt hurt the band they have money.Your welcome by the way fellas.
Do your job if you can call it that.

PJ should have shirts or stickers made up for everybody from that show.
PJ should eat the cost like what a lot of these great people had to do along the way.

Imagine if everyone boycotted a PJ show....

This really makes me think twice about destination shows for this band on the futre.

But this kind of protest does have a track record of helping. I am not clear on why you have written it off as worthless protest, or how you or anyone thinks having the show would be more effective somehow. And I think we all know they aren't doing it "because the Boss said so."
As for the two days notice thing... not sure what is behind that timing. If I were to guess i would say it's because that causes the most inconvenience for everyone (not travelling fans specifically - I see no reason for any band to ever take that factor into consideration), which I believe is the whole point. Cancelling with plenty of time would severely reduce the effectiveness of the action. Leaving folks high and dry I think is the idea. Protest is all about causing disruption and inconvenience in order to force change. I feel like a lot of people have very much forgotten that. They seem to think that protest should be planned so that it doesn't disrupt or inconvenience anything or anyone, lol, which would render it completely ineffective.

yes, of course it was planned for maximum effect. but that's the inherent problem. who is it disrupting the most? the lawmakers, or the fans and people who work for a living?

Hopefully all of the above and then some. The more disruption it causes the better. The more artists who do it the better.

rssesq

its all fun and games until a she-male strolls up to the pisser beside you and pulls out donkey kong. lol j/k

RBKitaj

Breaking News Concerning North Carolina's anti-LGBT law #HB2 - The 4th Circuit Court has ruled that Title IX requires schools receiving federal aid to let transgender kids use bathroom matching their gender ID. BIG blow to NC's #HB2! Details here - http://www.nbc12.com/story/31763345/appeals-court-rules-va-transgender-teen-can-use-male-bathroom

Bentleyspop

KV4053 said:

This has actual economic impact to NC.
This is a significant impact and it will force businesses to fight the NC government.
The government will eventually back down.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-W2R-_7l2k

A friend of mines family has been doing a large family summer vacation on the Outer Banks for 25 years now. They rent a big house, sometimes 2, and have 20-30 people down for a whole week.

My friend's brother is gay and about to marry his longtime partner. They have friends come to stay with them who are gay.

They just cancelled their vacation in NC and moved it to the Delaware shore.

That's $10-20,000 going to another state.

Imagine what happens if a few thousand or even a few hundred families do this.

PJ_Soul

rssesq said:

its all fun and games until a she-male strolls up to the pisser beside you and pulls out donkey kong. lol j/k

Which is apparently exactly what the state wants. Otherwise, she would be probably using the women's washroom.

rssesq

but gammy would faint.

PJ_Soul said:

rssesq said:

its all fun and games until a she-male strolls up to the pisser beside you and pulls out donkey kong. lol j/k

Which is apparently exactly what the state wants. Otherwise, she would be probably using the women's washroom.

Caught-A-Bolt-Of-Lightning

Sweet Lou 14 said:

elwayvedder said:

The show posters and merch should be auctioned off to help what the band believes in

Bravo!! Great idea - Cancelling the show brings awareness to those who are not aware. It also takes money away from the state which is what they are trying to do. Hurt them where it really means something almighty $$

Send the posters back to the printer and print CANCELLED across the front and a comment to the lawmakers in Raleigh, NC and then sell them at Ten Club giving all the proceeds to the groups mentioned in the press release. Everyone wins a bit. Including me...who lost out on my hometown concert. PNC is 15 minutes from my house. And they have not been here since 2003. ( And to anyone who thinks that those of us who lost this show are whiners....I'd like to hear the masses in NYC, Boston or Chicago if they ever had to cancel a show in those cities. It would be DEAFENING.)

MayDay10

RBKitaj said:

Breaking News Concerning North Carolina's anti-LGBT law #HB2 - The 4th Circuit Court has ruled that Title IX requires schools receiving federal aid to let transgender kids use bathroom matching their gender ID. BIG blow to NC's #HB2! Details here - http://www.nbc12.com/story/31763345/appeals-court-rules-va-transgender-teen-can-use-male-bathroom

This is among my biggest issues with this. This law is doomed with or without Bruce and PJ.

63schoefflin

Exactly. This doesn't change anything.... All publicity unfortunately. Yeesh.

DR295987

funny how all those on here in favor of the cancellation say it's just a few dollars suck it up...what if you were out the money that equates to a significant sum to many of us... at the very least 10 club and the band should be contacting people who they know were traveling and offer something...hell a freakin guitar pick... but nope hey you lost a grand suck it up... considering they all our multi millionaires they could afford to offer something... how about doing a show in a small venue and offering tics only to 10c members who were traveling from out if town?

and then paying for their travel? never gonna happen of course...the 1%er rock stars want their money....

or how bout those of you in favor trade me your tickets fir my raleighs? show that your truly support this decision because if you won't give yours up well you're a hypocrite at best


oh and for those of you thinking it's gonna cost NC money...sorry I took the ticket money and spent it here anyway...in fact more

my 10c membership coincidentally expires tomorrow... guess who won't be renewing...

there's a thought give us a year free on 10c.. oh wait the fans need to pay not the band they got bills to pay. those 5 star suites and fancy wine are expensive

michael_augustine

The band should start selling travel insurance as a part of their tickets, so if they decide to randomly cancel because it's the hot thing the fans won't have to eat the costs of the travel.

PJfanwillneverleave1

DR295987 said:

my 10c membership coincidentally expires tomorrow... guess who won't be renewing...

You will save $20!
What was your membership number?

Eraserhead

Feel sorry for those who would have travelled a long, long way to the show. Maybe an alternative would be to do a sit in/occupy the arena until the police/authorities forced the band out. Imagine the press coverage of that!

NDJeff7

The show is obviously not happening so here's my best solution:

1) finally repeal this ugly law in the next month

2) PJ comes back for a 2 night stint around Bonaroo since their schedule is wide open then

JP Losman

Just one medium but...

http://www.cnn.com/

Where is PJ cancels tour headline?