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Taake's Kansas City show canceled after criticism from Talib Kweli

Taake Kong Vinter

Kansas City club The Riot Room has canceled black metal band Taake‘s show there, which was to have happened March 31. Talib Kweli recently canceled his show at the venue, due to its “[refusal] to apologize” for booking Taake — a band who have been accused of Nazism due to frontman Hoest performing with a swastika painted on his chest in 2007. The venue posted the following statement on its Facebook:

We have decided to cancel the Taake event scheduled to be held March 31st at The Riot Room. Refunds will be processed immediately for anyone who purchased tickets. As a venue, it is our priority to provide a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable environment for all patrons, artists, and staff. This always has, and will always continue to be our primary goal.

Taake’s NYC and Chicago shows were already cancelled, and their Boston show at Middle East has been moved to Once Ballroom. Their 3/27 show at Baltimore Soundstage is no longer on the venue’s schedule and same goes for their 3/28 show at Pittsburgh’s Rex Theatre and their 4/1 show at Denver’s Globe Hall. Their 4/7 show at LA’s 1720 is now listed as “TBD.” King Dude dropped off the tour earlier this week.

Hoest responded to the cancellations in a statement, saying that wearing the swastika was a moment of misjudgment and not something that he repeated. He added, “Once and for all, Taake is not a racist band. Never has been, never will be.”