Punk rock music typically houses controversial subjects, but NOFX admittedly crossed the line with their Vegas mass shooting jokes at the Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival in Las Vegas on Sunday. During their set, frontman Fat Mike ended the performance with offensive remarks regarding the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Oct. 1, 2017, which left 58 people dead.
“I guess you’re only getting shot in Vegas if you’re a country band,” he said. “I mean, that sucked. At least they were country fans and not punk rock fans.”
The band took to their official Facebook page on Thursday (May 31) to address the onstage remarks, promising a more “in depth” apology is on the way. “I can’t sleep, no one in my band,” the post reads. “What we said in Vegas was shitty and insensitive and we are all embarrassed by our remarks. So we decided we will all get together to discuss and write an in depth, sincere, and honest apology because that’s what the people we offended and hurt deserve.”
Radio Station X1075’s Dave Farra and Jason Mahoney posted the video of the offense on their Twitter account on Wednesday.
NOFX thought it would be “hilarious” to joke about the October 1 shootings while on stage in Las Vegas. They said “at least they were country fans and not punk rock fans”. This is disgusting and callous. We will never support anything involving this band ever again. pic.twitter.com/am3R8QJIE6
— Dave and Mahoney (@DaveAndMahoney) May 30, 2018
Punk Rock Bowling founders Mark and Shawn Stern issued a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal following the video’s release. “In light of NOFX’s comments during their performance at the Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival, we would like to offer a formal apology to those in attendance, the city of Las Vegas, the victims and the families of 10/1. Las Vegas is home to the Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival, and we do not condone the statements made from our stage on Sunday night.”
“We take the safety of our festivalgoers seriously and want to relay that there is nothing funny about people being shot and murdered, ever,” they continued.
A representative from Camp Punk in Drublic Festival in Ohio told TMZ that NOFX will not be performing this weekend as planned and have since been replaced on Saturday’s lineup. The band Me First and The Gimmie Gimmies, also featuring Fat Mike, has been cut from the festival too.