Read Windy City Times' interview with Kinetic Playground owner Jim GouskosUpdated at 3:12pm: Read Gay Chicago's coverage by Gary Barlow
Update from the Kinetic Facebook page:
"The Capleton show has been canceled at The Kinetic Playground. This show may still happen somewhere else but as far as The Kinetic Playground is concerned this show will never happen at our venue. We supported your organization, now we would hope that the LGBT community would come support ours. Come out and have a drink... the Oct 9th at the Kinetic Playground!"
Last I heard- we have freedom of speech in this country- and a singer would have the right to perform his songs no matter the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteWhile I personally do not care for his music- I would fight for his right to perform them.
If I have to put up with Lady Ga Ga- then they should have to put up with him.
As an avid fan of reggae and dancehall music, and a friend of many people in the LGBT communnity, I hope this will be a peaceful protest and not one intended on 'riling' up the fans that are there to enjoy good vibes and good music or those there to protest what they believe is wrong. I saw a similar protest go awry at the House of Blues several years ago. It saddens me that some artists like Capleton still have hateful views towards those that do not conform to his ideology. I can attest to the fact that the majority of dancehall artists today do not share the same views as Capleton.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't think the protest is necessary, but some don't think the concert is necessary. So, we all will be able to practice our free speech rights on Saturday, hopefully in a peaceful way that leads to better understanding for both sides of this issue.
Per their Facebook page:
ReplyDeleteThe Capleton show has been canceled at The Kinetic Playground. This show may still
happen somewere else but as far as The Kinetic Playground is concerned this show will never happen at our venue. We supported your organization, now we would hope that the LGBT community would come support ours. Come out and have a drink the Oct 9th at the Kinetic Playground!
There was a verbal protest before the show...the LGBT community (and straight supporters) repeatedly asked the venue to cancel the show...the venue made the free choice to cancel the show! The band's lyrics advocate killing people, and I would certainly hope that a venue would cancel an act that encouraged killing women, blacks, or any other group. It's quite possible that the bookers at Kinetic were not aware of the lyrics and it was a mistake. But I applaud them for canceling. They've probably gained a lot more fans than foes.
ReplyDelete@Nash- Lady Gaga, while offensive to my ear drums on an aesthetic level, does not encourage the murder of or violence against other human beings. Bands do not have a RIGHT to perform in private venues.
Dear ChiTownPhilly,
ReplyDeleteI'm a whacked out crazy libertarian, BUT, I have no issue with this. As far as I can tell, this is the free market at it's best and brightest.
The Kinetic Playground decides to put on a concert. Customers, whom the Kinetic playground counts on, are offended by said concert, and they threaten to protest and boycott. The Kinetic Playground, worried about offending their customers, cancels said show.
You couldn't invent a better use of the free market en lieu of governmental control.
Don't confuse "free speach" with "required to provide a forum for hate speach".
ReplyDeleteThis is not a first ammendment situation unless it was the government cancelling the performance. Yes, the artist is "free" to express his views free of government restraint. The proprietor of the venue also has rights though.
And yes, I do know how to spell "speech"...must have peaches on the mind.
ReplyDeleteI love that K Playground is all "we love you gay people...come have a drink" when in fact the Windy City reports that "Gouskas threatened to “get a bunch of goons outside to throw eggs” at people who show up to protest against the Capleton show."
ReplyDeleteWow, now that’s some brass. Could you be more self-serving?
This is not a "freedom of speech" issue (why is it when someone doesn’t get to say something ugly, they get all Perry Mason, when in fact they can't name a single Supreme Court Justice let alone what the real rule is) since the government is not keeping anyone from doing anything.
Capelton wallows in his bad-boy gay baiting image, and in fact profits from it.
@Chi Philly What exactly "went awry" at the HOB event? People made thier voices known, HOB realized they were putting their future business at risk and made a business decision. So I guess I would ask you your interpretation of “awry? Is?
At this point, he could book Cher, Bette Midler, Barbara Streisand, Margaret Cho and Judy Garland herself and I’d not go. This kind of greedy stink last a lot longer than the perfume of forced apology
Thanks for explaining to me that Kinetic Playground is a private entity, I wasn't aware. Nobody here has even heard of Capleton, let alone actually heard his music. Kind of a pointless discussion to have if you don't know the context of the situation or the facts. Either way, it's the Gay Liberation Network, among other groups, that has been unfairly targeting artists like Capleton and Sizzla, who stopped performing the few songs being protested, years ago. It's the GLN trying to prevent them from performing even though these artists drafted and signed the Reggae Compassionate Act, which denounced the use or creation of lyrics that incite hatred or violence against any community, in 2007! These groups must have something better to do than continually prey on Capleton for lyrics he no longer performs.
ReplyDeleteWhat Bradley said. The 1st amendment only prohibits the government from restricting speech. Private venues can restrict any views they want.
ReplyDeleteAlso, don't confuse "freedom of speech" with "freedom from the consequences of your speech". You're more than welcome to spout hatred in your music. But don't be surprised when people protest and venues cancel because of your hatred.
What is The Capleton show and why should I care?
ReplyDeleteWCE,
ReplyDeleteI am with you.
This is absurd. Dont people have anything better to do or to worry about? Our economy is in shambles, our neighborhood is overrun by gangs and drug dealers, our country is at war, hard working people are losing their homes due to the abysmal real estate market, the public school system is failing, the City of Chicago infratstructure is crumbling, and all some people can worry about is a musician and his inappropriate lyrics? You have got to be kidding me.
ReplyDeleteWhile you are at it, why not protest Eminem? How about bands like Slayer? How about rap artists who talk about nothing but getting high and "f-ing B!tches". This whole thing is absurd.
jimcls260, This may come as a shock to you, but people are able to be concerned and/or think about a number of issues at any given time, some more and some less critical, but all important to the person in some way.
ReplyDeleteFor example, even with all the problems and misery in the world, you somehow found the time and energy to comment on a protest that you find ridiculous.
It doesn't make it any less ridiculous!
ReplyDelete