Malaysian Festival Officially Sues The 1975 for $2.4 Million USD Over Controversial Performance

A year after reports that Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival is seeking $2.7 million USD in damages from The 1975’s controversial performance, the festival is officially suing the band. The event organizers have filed a lawsuit against each of the members of the band for not upholding their anti-LGBTQ laws last July. The band’s antics saw Matty Healy kiss another male member of their band, which led to backlash from the Malaysian government. The Malaysian government has strict laws that prohibit swearing, drinking and swearing on stage as well as taking off their clothes and speaking about politics or religion.

In official court documents filed by Future Sound Asia in the U.K. High Court, they claimed that the band and management team were aware of Malaysia’s laws but had chosen to not abide by them in their performance. They mentioned that when the band performed at the festival in 2016, they were made aware of the prohibitions and were reminded multiple times before their performance last year. According to guidelines from the Malaysia Central Agency for the Application for Foreign Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL), “kissing, kissing a member of the audience or carrying out such actions among themselves” is banned.

At the time, the band agreed to the laws and were paid $350,000 USD to perform. However, the lawsuit reveals that PUSPAL initially rejected The 1975 from playing due to Healy’s past drug addiction, but they promised to adhere to “all local guidelines and regulations.” The night before their performance the lawsuit alleges that The 1975 decided they “should not perform at the music festival,” but although they changed their minds, they decided to play “a completely different setlist” as well as act in way that were intended to breach the Guidelines” that included Healy making a “provocative speech” and kissing bassist Ross MacDonalad “with the intention of causing offence and breaching the regulations and the terms of the agreement.” They have accused Healy of drinking and smoking after “appear[ing] to vomit on the stage and/or grunt and spit excessively including towards the audience” as well as deliver ““profanity-laden speech” and deliberately damaging a video drone.

Last year, Future Sound Asia only issued a letter to the band that claimed breach of contract but the lawsuit has now been filed. The 1975 has not yet retaliated with a defense lawsuit.