Vengeance Fest III

NJ club Dingbatz kicks racist bands off metal show, then lets them play anyway

Nyogthaeblisz, Intolitarian and NortherN performed at Vengeance Fest III on Saturday (10/20) at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ, despite being pulled from the lineup. Mexican black metal band Nyogthaeblisz have been dropped from lineups before over their their anti-Islamic/Semitic/Abrahamic stance, as well as their involvement with known NSBM label Satanic Skinhead Progaganda, whose founder Antichrist Kramer is vocalist and bassist for Intolitarian. NorthJersey.com reports that in a since-deleted Facebook post, Dingbatz blamed the festival’s promoter, KEP Productions, for the bands’ booking, and wrote, “we do not support anything that involves any sort of racism, in any form, and will not tolerate it at our establishment.”

Kyle Powell of KEP Productions told NorthJersey.com, “it’s a black metal show so black metal deals with evil and doom and various things of that nature.” He continued, “People are hell bent on being PC and get offended. If you’re offended then fine don’t attend the show, but don’t try to ruin it for the people who have traveled and paid to see the artists play.”

Powell and Dingbatz’s owner Fred Barnes didn’t actually kick the bands off the show though, or he changed his mind. Nyogthaeblisz, Intolitarian and NortherN all did in fact play. “You get put in a no-win situation in whatever you do here,” Barnes told NorthJersey.com when asked why they were back on the show. “Being an owner of the club you look at it as freedom of speech. When does the censorship issue come in and where does it escalate from here?”

Powell took credit for the decision to let the bands play, telling NorthJersey.com, “It was a decision I made because the guys had flown in to play and there were many people here to see them. I made that decision. It should not fall on the club.” He continued, “that’s on me; that’s who I am. I always try to keep my word. If I go around canceling my shows or taking my bands off the bill, not only does it make me look bad in front of my clients, but it makes me look bad for the people coming to the shows.”

NYC Antifa tweeted the day after the show, telling the owners of Dingbatz “we really don’t like being lied to” and urging others to protest local NSBM shows:

NortherN posted this picture of themselves to Facebook:

Such a shame Antifa had our show cancelled at Dingbatz in New Jersey… They must be celebrating their big victory!!!

Posted by NortherN / Cold Northern Vengeance on Sunday, October 21, 2018