KUALA LUMPUR – The organisers of the Good Vibes Festival (GVF) 2023 have begun taking legal action against the English group The 1975 over the fiasco that led to the event’s cancellation in late July.
In a media statement issued by their lawyer, the organiser, Future Sounds Asia (FSA), said the company had issued a demand letter to the band to take responsibility for the incident and pay for the damages incurred due to the festival’s cancellation.
“We are prepared to take legal action against The 1975 in the courts of England should they fail to meet our demands,” FSA said.
The organisers also expressed their strong disapproval of The 1975’s behaviour during GVF 2023, especially with regard to the band’s frontman Matty Healy’s use of abusive language, equipment damage, and disrespectful behaviour.
“He also blatantly violated Malaysian guidelines and laws, tarnishing the reputation of a festival that has been held since the decade,” the statement read.
FSA said that The 1975 intentionally violated the agreement that had been previously agreed upon with the organisers.
This violation – FSA said – led to the cancellation of the festival, leaving the organisers with significant financial losses and adversely affecting local artists and traders who relied on the event’s success.
The organisers emphasised the impact of the festival’s cancellation on many people in the country and expressed their appreciation for the trust bestowed upon them by fans and authorities over the years.
“FSA remains committed to providing an unparalleled music experience to fans while adhering to local conditions and laws.”
Healy’s performance on the first day of the three-day event on July 21 triggered an uproar after he openly criticised the government over laws affecting the LGBT community.
Visibly drunk during his lambastment of Putrajaya, Healy also proceeded to share a kiss with his male bass player Ross MacDonald on stage.
During the set Healy was also seen spitting at the audience, and damaging equipment, including the drone used to record the event.
The band was also forced to cut their set short for failing to comply with conditions set by the government.
Following the incident, Communications and Digital minister, Fahmi Fadzil, ordered the immediate cancellation of GVF 2023. – August 7, 2023