Wavves frontman Nathan Williams asked Donald Trump supporters Wednesday not to attend any of his rock band’s performances ahead of an upcoming summer tour.
In a statement circulated through the group’s official Twitter account, the singer said anyone who supports the presumptive Republican presidential nominee needn’t attend any of his gigs when Wavves embarks on a 16-date tour later this month.
“[It’s] come to my attention as we gain more notoriety and our music/label begin to grow there is an inevitable type of person or fan with whom you truly don’t share the same thoughts and opinions as,” began the statement. “[This] being said, some of that is healthy — I don’t want everyone at my shows to be a clone of each other. [H]owever in light of the constant rape, murder, racism, homophobia and misogny [sic] that goes on seemingly every day I feel the need to make clear who I personally make music for, and who I don’t”
The statement then outlined six groups of people who are “not welcome at a Waaves show.”
“If you’ve ever said or supported #AllLivesMatter you’re not welcome at a Wavves show,” Mr. Williams wrote. “If you’ve gone out of your way to defend police in America you’re not welcome at a Wavves show. If you’ve ever even thought a victim of rape had it coming [because] she was dressed a certain way, or was ’too intoxicated,’ you’re not welcome at a Wavves show. If you harbor resentment towards the homosexual community in any way — you are not welcome at a Wavves show. If you are white and use racial slurs, on the internet, in person, to friends, to enemies — you are not welcome at a Wavves show.”
“If you support Donald Trump — [because] this is basically 3 or 4 of the afformentioined [sic] topics – you are not welcome at a Wavves show,” he wrote.
Replying to a tweet sent in response, the singer explained that Trump supporters aren’t welcome because the presumptive GOP nominee “is a racist and a homophobe.”
“I’d rather have a room half filled with good energy than one filled with hate,” Mr. Williams wrote. “People are suffering every day and the way I see it you are either part of the solution of part of the problem.”
The statement was retweeted nearly 4,000 times and garnered roughly 9,000 likes by late Thursday morning, provoking responses ranging from support to scorn from the band’s 109,000 social media followers.
Based in of San Diego, Wavves is slated to begin a summer tour July 21 in Phoenix with stops in a dozen states, including a sold-out show in Chicago. The group’s second major-label LP was released by Warner Bros. in 2015.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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