Bassnectar Concert Canceled Amidst Sexual Abuse Scandal
The venue wrote 'The safety and well-being of our community are of the utmost importance.'
A pair of Bassnectar shows at the Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia, have been canceled after public backlash. An ongoing lawsuit against the producer, real name Lorin Ashton, alleges sexual misconduct. The producer has denied these accusations.
"Upon learning about the allegations facing the artist Bassnectar, who was set to perform at the Gateway Center Arena on April 26 & 27, the Gateway Center Arena and City of College Park teams launched an internal evaluation of the matter," the venue wrote in a Jan. 26 statement posted on Instagram. "The safety and well-being of our community are of the utmost importance and as such, we have decided to cancel the event."
Ashton's lawyers, Mitch Schuster and Kim Hodde sent a statement to Billboard saying, "Lorin Ashton has always denied these outrageous and offensive allegations. He's never been found liable for anything or even charged with anything. This mob-driven decision is cancel culture gone mad. It is beyond appalling, and we can only hope American society will return to its senses before too much more damage is done."
As of April 6, 2021, Ashton has been sued by two women who allege he has abused minors, made child pornography, and committed human trafficking. Two more women joined the suit a month later. An anonymous plaintiff later removed herself from the suit after the court required her to reveal her legal name.
Currently, the case is in discovery, and a trial date has been set for Feb. 18, 2025. Initially, the trial was meant to begin in September 2023. Amid the cancellation of the College Park show, Bassnectar announced a comeback last year with a subscription-based website that offered new music and a concert tour of live venues.
In addition, last October, two other Bassnectar concerts scheduled to take place at Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina, were also canceled due to public pressure. On Oct. 6 and 7, the producer played a pair of sold-out shows at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and also played a pair of sold-out shows at New York City's Palladium Times Square on the night of New Year's Eve 2024.
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