Download festival artists pull out days before event after CMat leads boycott

Three bands set to perform Download Festival are now boycotting the event (Picture: Katja Ogrin/Getty Images)

Several bands have pulled out of Download Festival days before thousands of music fans arrive onsite over sponsor Barclaycard’s ties to Israel.

Scowl, Zulu, Speed, Pest Control, Negative Frame and Overpower have pulled out of the three-day Donington Park Circuit event in solidarity with Palestine amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

The festival is set to take place this weekend with performances from Queens Of The Stone Age, Fall Out Boy, Avenged Sevenfold, Limp Bizkit, and Busted.

Barclaycard is listed as the official payment partner for Download, with campaigners accusing the bank of increasing its investment in arms companies that trade with Israel.

The company has said it doesn’t make its own investments, but that it does have customers in the defence sector.

Announcing their departure from the lineup, Leeds-based band Pest Control posted: ‘We have made the decision to pull out of our upcoming shows at Download festival this week (Wednesday 12th June and Sunday 16th June).

Download Festival is set to take place this weekend (Picture: PA)

‘Barclays bank oversees billions of dollars in investments and loans to companies whose weapons and technology are used in Israel’s onslaught against the Palestinian people. We will not take part in an event whose sponsor profits from facilitating a genocide.’

They apologised to fans who were looking forward to seeing the band, and expressed their own sadness over the cancellation as playing the festival would be ‘a milestone for us as a band.’

They continued: ‘We cannot sacrifice the principles held by this band and by the scene we come from and represent, just for personal gain.’

Scowl, who previously pulled out of performing at SXSW Festival over its ties to the US army, wrote: ‘We will not be playing Download fest this year due to Barclays Bank sponsorship of the event and Barclays’ connection to Israel and the genocide Israel is committing in Palestine. Free Palestine!’

Sydney hardcore band Speed wrote on their social media pages: ‘SPEED will no longer be playing Download Festival this Friday June 14 due to the recent news of Barclays Banks sponsorship of the event and their involvement in the war in Gaza.’

Zulu added: ‘We will not be playing Download Festival as we just got word about Barclays Bank and their sponsorship of the fest. Barclays Bank is involved with Israel and the genocide they are ACTIVELY committing against Palestine. It’s FREE PALESTINE y’all don’t get it twisted.’

It comes as CMAT pulled out of their performance at this year’s Latitude Festival, where Barclays was the headline sponsor.

Barclays previously released a statement addressing concerns, which read: ‘We provide vital financial services to US, UK and European public companies that supply defence products to NATO and its allies. Barclays does not directly invest in these companies.​

The bands will be playing a benefit show in Birmingham (Picture: Kevin Nixon/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

‘The defence sector is fundamental to our national security and the UK government has been clear that supporting defence companies is compatible with ESG considerations. Decisions on the implementation of arms embargos to other nations are the job of respective elected governments.’

Speed, Scowl, Pest Control, and Zulu will now play a Palestine benefit show on Friday, June 14 in Birmingham.

They will be joined by Cauldron, Ikhras, and Transistrrr at the Centrala show, with proceeds raising money for Palestine aid and charities.

Announcing the show on Instagram, Birmingham Hardcore Shows said the event is capped at 100 people.

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