“One of the most horrendous professional discussions” — Radar Festival organizer addresses Bob Vylan’s removal from the lineup over Glastonbury stint

Following Bob Vylan's performance at Glastonbury on June 28, 2025, Manchester's Radar Festival removed the punk-rap duo from their lineup, as confirmed by a statement via their social media on July 2, 2025.

Additionally, Radar Festival co-organizer Catherine Jackson-Smith spoke about the same on the 2 Promoters, 1 Pod podcast episode dated July 3, wherein she said:

“That was categorically one of the most horrendous professional discussions I’ve ever had. I cannot express clearly enough that I wanted Bob Vylan to perform at our festival.”

Catherine mentioned that Radar Festival didn't want to pull the rock duo out; however, the decision wasn't in their hands.

Radar Festival's organizer added that the festival was caught between conversations involving the venue, local authorities, and co-owners Live Nation and AMG. According to Catherine, the decision to dismiss Bob Vylan from the festival's lineup was an ultimatum after they had to choose between canceling the duo's performance or risk losing the entire program.

The co-organizer added that it wasn't an option for the rock duo to perform on Saturday, July 5, and that it was made apparent at the beginning of the week. She mentioned that if they decided to continue with Bob Vylan as the headliner on Saturday, the festival wouldn't be taking place on that day.

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What did Bob Vylan do at Glastonbury? Controversy resulting in the duo's revoked US visas, explored

Rock duo Bob Vylan landed themselves in a controversy on June 28, 2025, due to their performance at Glastonbury, where they led a chant of "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]" and "Free, free Palestine."

At the time, people could view the performance via livestream on iPlayer. This resulted in the State Department revoking the duo's U.S. visas ahead of their North America tour. As reported by USA Today on June 30, 2025, State Department Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau posted a statement on social media, writing:

"In light of their hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants ... foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country."

The rock duo's Glastonbury performance also resulted in the British regional police launching an investigation into the same. Meanwhile, Bob Vylan posted a statement justifying the incident via Instagram on July 1, stating:

“We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine. A machine whose own soldiers were told to use ‘unnecessary lethal force’ against innocent civilians waiting for aid. A machine that has destroyed much of Gaza."

They continued:

"We, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story. And whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction.”

Further, on July 3, the rock duo posted another statement via an Instagram carousel, with the cover photo reading "We are the distraction." Other photos in the carousel depicted news of what has been happening around the world, with the caption reading:

"News articles you may have missed over the past few days while politicians and the media debate the dangers of a Punk Band. From starving children to proscribing activists as terrorist groups. Do not be distracted."

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Following Bob Vylan's Glastonbury controversy, BBC chair Samir Shah dubbed the incident an unquestionable "error of judgment," as per the publication on July 3. Furthermore, BBC's director general, Tim Davie, wrote to the broadcasting corporation's staff and audience stating that there was "no place for antisemitism" within the company.