Canadian singer Bryan Adams has cancelled his upcoming concert in Biloxi, Mississippi as a protest against the state’s new anti-gay law. The law, which goes into effect on July 1, allows businesses and even some health care providers to refuse services to gay couples on the basis of religious beliefs. It’s similar to the “Religious Freedom Bill” recently passed in North Carolina and vetoed in my home state of Georgia (thank God). Artists have spoken out about the North Carolina bill, with Bruce Springsteen canceling a gig in Greensboro, and Joel McHale donating proceeds from his show in Durham to a local LBGTQ center.
Adamns, 56, posted the following message regarding the cancelled gig, originally scheduled for April 14, on his Facebook page:
Mississippi has passed anti-LGBT ‘Religious Liberty’ bill 1523. I find it incomprehensible that LGBT citizens are being discriminated against in the state of Mississippi. I cannot in good conscience perform in a State where certain people are being denied their civil rights due to their sexual orientation. Therefore i’m cancelling my 14 April show at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. Using my voice I stand in solidarity with all my LGBT friends to repeal this extremely discriminatory bill. Hopefully Mississippi will right itself and I can come back and perform for all of my many fans. I look forward to that day. – Bryan Adams #stop1523
Bruce Springsteen’s guitarist Stevie Van Zant posted a message of support for Bryan on his Twitter feed:
Right on Bryan Adams! Canceling the gig in Mississippi. The other front in the war against discrimination.
— Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) April 11, 2016
I’m with Stevie, way to go, Bryan. These laws are simply hateful and serve no good purpose. I do feel bad for the workers at the concert venue who are missing a paycheck, but if no one takes a stance, nothing will happen and the discrimination will continue. Here’s hoping that more artists boycott these states until these awful laws are abolished.
Photo credit: Getty Images, WENN.com, Fame Flynet
Way to go!
Still love me some Bryan Adams, even after all these years : *not even ashamed*
No shame Snazzy, Summer of 69 came on the radio the other day and I turned that shiz up to eleven!
Right beside you.
meeee toooo! and he still looks great – clean living, I guess.
as for this bill, I think it’s the Mississippi one…employers would have the right to dictate GROOMING and MAKE UP based on the BS of “sincerely held religious belief”.
so, your boss could require that you wear make up, or MORE make up, or shave, or cut your hair, or grow your hair, etc….because his/her religion says so. I’m sure this is targeting Muslim men who wear beards, but it’s f*cking BS.
This is just another example of The War on Christianity!!!
Just kidding. Religion still rules this country.
Kitten, I’m just waiting for the inevitable…some “Christian” (and that’s in quotes because most of them act in a VERY UN-Christian way) is going to get refused service and is going to raise a stink. but hey, as long as that member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster or the Satanist has “strongly held religious beliefs”…BUH BYE!
No shame. I hate it that he is lumped in with the irritating celebs that Canada should apologize for. I also kinda hated those jokes asking Ryan Adams to play Summer of 69 and othe BA hits in his concerts esp if they imply that BA is the inferior artist. I’m guilty of making those jokes, I can’t help it.
BA was the soundtrack of my 90s adolescence. When I occasionally hear one of his anthems today, I think they definitely still hold up. I mean, Bryan Adams, Boys II Men and the Top Gun soundtrack–those were good times.
Good.
Good for him!
repeat from Bruce post and while not a fan, he will always be awesome for this.
i know not everyone in MS is a bigot and this is another reminder why all of us ‘live and let live’ people MUST VOTE. Every. Damn. Time. can’t let the handful of haters ruin life for all of us!
It’s not necessarily about the citizens but the politicians. Now it’s up to the citizens who vote to right this ship. You elected these people to represent you. Do they? There are consequences for holding bigoted beliefs (sometimes). Are the consequences something you agree with?
This is a bit like when musicians boycotted apartheid in South Africa. They don’t get a lot of credit but they were instrumental in making that cause known and, eventually, pressuring the US to impose sanctions on the country, which eventually led to its repealing of that practice. Musicians and artists are often on the front lines of movements. People make fun of those who get out there and fight for causes they believe in or are vocal about their politics, but in general I say we need people like them. Because they are willing to stand up, show their faces and fight where others are too comfy or complacent to do so.
–TheRealPinky
I love that these artists are doing this. I hope others in all fields go ahead with their boycotts too. These laws are disgusting.
They are. Several states are forbidding business travel to NC and MS, several corporations have either cancelled plans to base their business there or threatened to pull it out, etc..
Yeah PayPal just cancelled extending their corporation to Charlotte, NC. That was a big hit for the economy right here, everyone is talking about it. Same with the convention center having cancellations from other businesses. But I’m happy that big businesses such as PayPal are supporting the LGBTQ, things like this & Bruce Springsteen’s support are what we need to get rid of that awful bill. Someone please also take away our ignorant, bigot governor Pat McCrory.
That’s great!
Now if only PayPal would extend that policy to some countries where they do business…where homosexuality is punishable by death. But that wouldn’t get them in the news as much as this did.
I read something that said Bruce’s cancelled concert cost the state about $100,000 in revenue and that thousands of hotel rooms have been cancelled because of conventions that have moved elsewhere.
Those who the state of Mississippi are discriminating against are tax paying citizens. I find it unbelievable that they are being treated this way. Good for Bryan Adams. I hope there will be many more ways they pay for their disgusting behavior. They need to turf out the creepy bigots who passed this ridiculous “law.”
This moral grandstanding is such a joke. Where were Bryan Adams’ convictions when he was cashing those big paychecks for doing gigs in such LGBT-unfriendly (to say the least) countries as Qatar, Egypt, and the UAE? Where was his “conscience” then? Hypocrite.
One step at a time. While I agree those other areas you mentioned are not at all LGBT friendly and it would be amazing if more people took a stand (that linked to $$) against them, I still feel the stance being made here is important and valuable for the cause of equality.
One step at a time? What does that even mean?
If Bryan Adams is going to hop on a soapbox and do his silly moral preening, he best be consistent about it and not play countries where being gay can get you killed. “One step at a time” is just letting a hypocrite off the hook for something he has COMPLETE control over (where he performs).
I keep saying this but…..this is America. It is vastly different to me when things start to happen in our own backyard. We are supposed to be better. We are supposed to be “exceptional.” The light for the world. Land of the free. We don’t have the same expectations of other parts of the world. Is discrimination (and worse) just as awful when it happens elsewhere? Of course it is. But it becomes ACTIONABLE when it happens here. That’s why these artists and others are doing this.
I feel the same way. Yes, we should all care what happens everywhere, but what’s happening in America now is scary regression and needs to be nipped in the bud.
“That’s why these artists and others are doing this.”
No, they’re doing it for the easy pats on the back. They don’t get those pats for refusing to play Dubai, so they don’t bother with them.
A person’s inalienable rights are just as valuable in the Middle East as they are here, so don’t give me that racist “we’re different and exceptional” crap.
Yes I agree. We act where we can, all while advocating and hoping for change everywhere
Excuse me, Riley, but I did not say anything racist. I said we’re “supposed to be” different and we are supposed to be. We fall short. My point is that if we want to strive for our promise as a country, then we need to throw a holy fit (pun intended) when issues like this crop up. I can’t have nearly as much impact in Dubai (zero) or Saudia Arabia (zero), but I can choose to go to a different vacation rental than the condo in Mississippi or not add jobs to my company in NC or whatever. We do what we can and have impact where we can have impact. Yes, condemn Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and wherever, but we’re shouting in the wind.
I have to respectfully disagree with you on this approach. Not the goal, the approach.
Dialogue and engagement over trying to apply financial screws that hurt everyone, even the people sanctions are supposedly meant to help. When Springsteen sang 49 Shots at MSG when many in his audience were affiliated or sided with cops, took guts. THAT was a statement. THAT took personal courage and stood shoulder to shoulder with others in the audience who applauded wildly. Simply canceling shows to hurt the states in their wallet, to me, is solipsistic. It’s an action by someone who doesn’t align with anyone on the ground, the people who have to live with these laws or supporters. It’s just about them. It’s just about Adams stepping away. Well who cares? Adams doesn’t live there, he doesn’t have skin in the game. It’s the easy way out. Much more powerful to perform, and speak out, and give those in your audience who don’t have a presence in the media or in the state house, to stand with you, publicly.
@frosty
Except for the reality that whether your hearts align with those suffering or not so long as you play in the state the same government that approved these laws collects taxes from your concert and makes profit. In short you end up supporting the same cause you’ve come to denounce.
There’s a reason economic boycott is an effective method of protest through history.
And other states are considering similar bills, so now in the US is the ABSOLUTELY correct time to show that there will be a financial consequence.
“easy pats on the back” don’t usually come by refunding your own $$$ to concert goers. These were not covered by insurance, this is the artists themselves losing money in order to take a stand.
@Eternal – obviously I disagree. Boycotts are one tool, and not the answer to every issue. In this case a financial boycott punishes everyone who happens to live there. MS is already among the poorest states, I don’t see how Adams not playing there will make them see the light? I’m of the opinion that there are many people in these states who disagree, and those folks need support. Persuasion, reason, and above all persistence will get us there, not holding a metaphorical gun to a state’s head to force legislative change. In the past you could vote, but large scale redistricting has made that more difficult. No easy answers here.
“In this case a financial boycott punishes everyone who happens to live there. MS is already among the poorest states, I don’t see how Adams not playing there will make them see the light?”
This isn’t about seeing the light. Do you think slave owners woke up one morning and started respecting the people they had beaten and raped just weeks earlier? Injustice doesn’t end because bad people get touched by an angel. It ends when we make it unacceptable for it to exist and punish those who try to exercise it.
Mississippi has a long established and ugly history of choosing to support injustice and making vulnerable minority groups targets. They’ve simply transitioned from blacks to gays and transgender individuals. In the end their actions are the same. White’s only spaces have been transformed to hetero’s only.
“Persuasion, reason, and above all persistence will get us there, not holding a metaphorical gun to a state’s head to force legislative change.”
Can you point me to one example where that has ever been true in these United States? Ferguson didn’t reform till the riots, Baltimore didn’t charge the officers till the city burned, civil rights didn’t get a push till blacks literally shut down the functions of society, we went to an entire war to end slavery and fight against the confederacy. So I’m struggling to find any proof this gentle optimistic action has ever been effective.
“In the past you could vote, but large scale redistricting has made that more difficult. No easy answers here.”
Rather easy actually. If you don’t disrupt the functions of an injustice society nothing changes. You can’t prayer circle hatefulness out of the hearts of people with the power. It doesn’t matter what the average citizen does or feels, what matters is that the state has now made people into enemies simply because their private matters make the bible thumpers feel icky. Until those people in power are suffering and have an entire state raging at them to change the laws and force equality everything will stay the same. If the state has Bruce and Bryan come and happily collects tax and revenue from all their fans what do you think the motivation is to change? Their negative feelings on homosexuality will reverse overnight? The phantom boogeyman they’ve created in the transgender pervert attempting to rape an innocent little girl in the bathroom disappears?
Money makes the world and defines these people’s morality far more than listening to their constituents and trying to effect positive change.
I can see both sides. I feel Riley’s anger and passion about this, and agree that if I were an artist of some sort I wouldn’t perform in countries that discriminate. But I also think it’s harsh to assume he isn’t sincere when it’s happening right under his nose in a country that’s supposed to be known for having learned this ugly lesson before. Whatever the reason, I’m glad he’s doing it, and I hope other artists follow suit.
Those countries are not a democracy. We are and should be held to higher standards.
Regardless of hypocrisy, his cancellation is still bringing attention the issue, inciting dialogue. There’s no such thing as bad publicity.
He has played in UAE, Qatar, Lebanon, Egypt…. these aren’t unfriendly to gays places. These are ‘you will die if you are gay’ places.
The hypocrisy is breathtaking. As are the excuses for him. But he virtue signals and the seals clap. Works every time.
And yet he played in Egypt, where two men were jailed for “distributing pornographic material”: it was their wedding video.
ETA: Just saw your comment Riley J. 1+
I thought the US publicly and repeatedly stated it was better than those other countries and how it stood for freedom from religion and liberty for its people?
Hmm, did Bryan Adams say that? He must have, given his hypocritical stance.
Weird. I thought that was just the countrie’s motto for the past hundred years or so. Or maybe it was all those Southern politicians constantly gnashing their teeth about the creeping menace of Sharia Law taking over the U.S. as they comfortably strip the rights from others.
“I thought that was just the countrie’s motto for the past hundred years or so.”
Well, this country’s motto is “In God we trust”, so you thought wrong.
@Riley J- Maybe he just didn’t think it was his place to apply western ideals to a completely different culture?
That’s not the same as sanctioning or condoning homophobia. He obviously has a vested interest in the country in which he was born and currently resides in and wants to see it progress socially, not regress. Why should he impose American ideals on a country in which he does not reside, a country in which he has no justifiable social interest in?
And “In God We Trust” didn’t become this country’s motto until 1956. For 180 years it was E pluribus unum.
Freedom OF religion.
@Riley
The country has had multiple mottos but one clear message. The hypocrisy of the past was always at war to produce a more fair and balanced society. If some in U.S. wants to sink to the levels of the history and push forward the ideal of the white landowner they can do so but they will be shamed on every level.
@Robin
Thank you, my mistake.
“allows some health care providers to refuse services to gay couples on the basis of religious beliefs”
how is that even legal ?
It isn’t. Which is what makes these laws so stupid. They are clearly unconstitutional and will end up struck down in court. So, an already dirt poor state like Mississippi is going to waste $$ on legal fees fighting something that is clearly a loser.
He makes music for Bogans, but his stance is commendable.
Good for him and thank goodness.
This needs to be hard and an economic burden needs to be faced. Without consequences and real loss the Republicans in power won’t be able to keep denying how disastrous their policies have become. I know it will have to get bad simply because they are stubborn and they’re worried about the public display of their shame but I do think this is the only way.
I only hope more and more companies/individuals follow suit. These laws once you read them are so intent on dragging the world back to the 1950’s it’s actually reprehensible.
Good job, Bryan Adams!
Incidentally, I saw him in concert a couple years ago. It was just him with his guitar, and a piano player. It was a fantastic show!
I saw him too, I was just going to say what you said! No bells and whistles, just him and his band – loved it.
He’s still alive!! I always wondered what happened to Bryan Adams. He was everywhere, until he was nowhere to be found.
He has spent a lot of time on his photography career. The guy is amazing with a camera.
I am a not very proud Mississippian at the moment. But I wanted to defend the people here. Not one person I know believes or knows anyone who believes that this bill was appropriate. While we (not I) may have voted in the moron who passed this bill none of us agrees with it. The main topic I’ve seen pass across my Facebook page is people wondering who paid Phil Bryant to sign this bill. It’s absurd and even my hardcore Christian conservative mother thinks it’s wrong. I guess my point is that while there may be a good bit of idiots who agree with this bill (without even reading it) the majority of us don’t.
Totally agree. I am from MS as well and have not even overheard one person say they agree with it. And by the way, all of those businesses and people boycotting Mississippi are just hurting the good, hardworking citizens, not the politicians. MS has come a VERY long way, especially considering it’s practically the buckle of the Bible Belt, something folks elsewhere tend to forget. We are not California. We are a slow but steady train moving forward, albeit with a few setbacks here and there. And please, don’t judge an entire state’s population on what you read in the media regarding race or LGBTQ. Most folks (90% if I had to put a number on it) here are extremely accepting and loving of all. But, because most only know us by our past, which by the way was also the entire Nation’s past, when something like this happens everyone points fingers and says “See, they haven’t changed one bit!” It’s pretty exhausting to hear that, day and night, by reporters who have never even set foot on MS soil. We are not down with discrimining anyone for anything. Rest assured, the men who voted for this bill will not be re-elected. Again, it was NOT the citizens who pushed this bill. It was politicians who, in their minds, were attempting to protect its citizens from religious discrimination and being fined or punished by our state government. Anytime I go out of state (I’ll be in Vegas later this month) I go with the understanding that I am being automatically judged for being from MS, and I hope that through my actions I can at least put a bug in the people I meet that the majority of Mississippians are not what the media portrays us to be. The media lies. I am the proof. My family is the proof. My coworkers are the proof. My classmates are the proof. My church is the proof.
I’m from NC, and I do feel for you and all of the good people who hate this law and had it snuck in on them. Please don’t take my or other people’s stance that the boycott is good personally. I just want the backlash against these politicians to be strong so you can get rid of them. We know you’re not all like that, or at least most people do. There will always be people who think everyone in the South is the same, but most people know better.
Well said, kb and Mari! I’m from a “flyover state” and it really gets tiresome when people condemn or denigrate an entire state and its entire population. False sense of superiority.
Good for him. Glad people are doing what they can, and that it’s getting media attention.
The cover shot for this story had me thinking it was Fassy for a moment.
Yay Bryan Adams!
So… I’m not very good at this stuff, but this law and the NC one are unconstitutional, right? They will eventually be annulled at state or federal level. And those who pass the bill already know that, but they’re willing to engage in an effing waste of time and resources just to score crazy points with the crazies. Too bad that withholding federal funding is not possible.
Good going, entertainers – punish your fans in the state who are most likely agree with you anyway. I disagree with this kind of stuff – I’d have way more respect for Adamns and Springsteen if they played as schedule and SPOKE OUT.
Hearts and minds, people!
Quite true. We waited till everyone had come to peaceful consensus before ending slavery, giving women the vote, and making segregation illegal.
Oh wait. We didn’t. Because bigots hearts don’t change unless they want to change or are forced to change. Guess the Federal govt. should have minded its beeswax instead of forcibly marching black students desperate to learn into a white’s only school while local police threatened them.
I don’t think this is about hearts and minds at all. As you said, the fans of artists who are known to be liberal often already oppose the law, and people who aren’t fans of Bryan Adams have no reason to care if he speaks out.
Cancelling concerts puts pressure on more than just fans. It means businesses don’t earn money and the state doesn’t collect sales tax. Those are both far more likely to influence legislatures than celebrity appeals to ordinary citizens.
The comments section in here is interesting today.
Artists perform all over the world. Yes, there are a lot of places that have horrifying laws and the artists still go there. Does it make them hypocritical to then say that they will not perform in a state that is enforcing these types of laws? I’m going to say no. Why? Because places such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE have had these laws since the dawn of their countries and changing them would/will be almost impossible. The US is supposed to be the land of the free, etc, etc. Changing laws to oppress people because of sexual preference, religion, colour, is not acceptable. Your laws have let people be free and are slowly changing to allow for even more freedom and when something like this comes along, it screams out to the world.
The other part to this, imo, is that a company deciding not to set up shop in states and artists cancelling performances is a huge financial loss to whichever state it happens to be. Place such as SA, UAE, Qatar are so wealthy on their own that things such as Bryan Adams cancelling a concert are nothing. However, to somewhere like NC, PayPal, LionsGate and Braeburn Pharmaceuticals (that is a HUGE loss in rev by itself) is a massive blow to the economy.
There are many more countries around the world that do not have equal right for many groups of people. Homosexuality is still illegal in most of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and, i believe 13, US states. If you want to have the attitude that artists or companies should boycott all places that have laws that violate human rights, then none of them would travel anywhere, including their own countries because all countries have laws that are seen to violate human rights. I personally think that big names taking a stand is a good thing. It brings light to issues that many of us may not know about, we aren’t all Americans, and allows us to also voice our opinion that we do not agree with the land of the free and the home of the brave stepping on the rights of its citizens.
Well said.
I hope more artists will follow suit. I hope they all will.
“Ain’t gonna play Sun City!”
Ask Stevie Van Zandt how effective cultural boycotts can be.
http://www.fastcocreate.com/3023454/steven-van-zandt-tells-the-story-of-sun-city-and-fighting-apartheid-in-south-africa
For those calling Bryan a hypocrite: perhaps he has learned from his past, and thus not doomed to repeat it.
People are capable of doing just that, when motivated.
Remember: do what you can, where you are, with what you have. Always
As a North Carolinian, I am embarrassed that this bill was even introduced. I am totally against it, as most people are, but it is not fair to punish all of us for the actions of a few idiots. I understand artists wanting to take a stand against this bill, but still have the concert and make a statement THEN and not just cancel. As far as PayPal is concerned…they are hypocrites because that have offices and do business IN India where homophobia is prevalent and homosexual intercourse is still a criminal offense. They can’t have it both ways.
Yep!
But a boycott will help you get rid of this law you hate. I would think you would be ok with that?
This “all or nothing” attitude is exactly what is making us fail as a whole society. Because people or business can’t make a complete sweep means they should do nothing ? How does that help?
It doesn’t.
I am truly impressed by those trying to find multiple ways to fret over a musical concert while other individuals now find themselves afraid, ostracized, and legally threatened.
Did you wake up one morning afraid your employer would fire you because they don’t agee with your private relationship preference?
Did you rush to a phone to question whether the baby you love will even be granted to you in adoption because you made the mistake of not being heterosexual?
Not being able to attend music concert vs. losing out on income or a home. Hmmm.
+1000!
I’m truly astounded. We, Mississippians, have been trying to get the confederate flag changed. Where was all the corporate support/boycott then. Now that Phil has passed this stupid Bill now people want to rally. Come on folks. You can’t fight for one cause and ignore the other. It’s all the same issue.