KING 810 were scheduled to play a gig at Thalia Hall in the southside of Chicago, IL – an area currently facing a huge gun violence epidemic.
Because of the band's violent imagery and the state of affairs in the area, the venue had decided to cancel the gig. They informed the band of the cancellation via email, noting that many local residents were concerned about an incident occurring and the promoter had a hard time defending the band:
In case you can't read the text of the email:
Hi [redacted],
Here is where I am at. We have been receiving phone calls from people in the neighborhood asking why the show is being allowed to happen at Thalia. Specifically they are sighing the band's excessive use of guns and violent mage, We are ending 2016 with the highest rate of gun Violence in Chicago's history and people are particularly rensieve. Defending the show, in the current environment, is becoming more and more difficult. We would like to cancel the event. It does not seem wise to move forward considering the current state of the neighborhood and our position in the commune,. We do not take cancellations lightly and I can assure you that we have considered all options. We are confident that this is the best route to take.
Awaiting your feedback,
[redacted]
There have been over 700 homicides in Chicago this year, and 4,500 different shootings, according to the Chicago Tribune. With the band previously bringing masked gunmen onstage (above), and overall violent imagery, it's understandable how the community could be a little uneasy about the situation. To be fair, KING 810 also do a lot of good for their community.
We recently talked to frontman David Gunn about the band's upcoming art shows. Here are their remaining dates:
12/15 Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre
12/16 Valparaiso, IN – Big Shots
12/17 Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
Update: Frontman David Gunn has released a statement on the cancellation:
