Good Vibes Festival 2023 has been cancelled. 

In a statement made today (22 July), the organisers have announced that this year's run of the Malaysian music festival has been definitively cancelled, effective immediately following "the controversial conduct and remarks made by UK artist Matty Healy from the band The 1975".

"We deeply regret to announce that the remaining schedule of Good Vibes Festival 2023, planned for today and tomorrow has been cancelled following the controversial conduct and remarks made by UK artist Matty Healy from the band The 1975. This decision adheres to the immediate cancellation directive issued at 1:20 PM, 22 July 2023, by the Ministry of Communications and Digital," the festival's official statement reads. 

Read their full statement here:

We deeply regret to announce that the remaining schedule of Good Vibes
Festival 2023 (GVF2023), planned for today and tomorrow has been cancelled following the controversial conduct and remarks made by UK artist Matty Healy from the band The 1975.

This decision adheres to the immediate cancellation directive issued at 1:20 PM, 22 July 2023, by the Ministry of Communications and Digital. The Ministry has underlined its unwavering stance against any parties that challenge, ridicule, or contravene Malaysian laws.

We sincerely apologise to all of our ticket holders, vendors, sponsors, and partners. We are aware of the time, energy, and efforts you have put into making this festival a success, and we value your steadfast support.
We will update you on refund mechanics as soon as possible. We appreciate your understanding and continued support during this challenging time.

 

 

 

 

 

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In addition, Future Sound Asia (FSA) have issued an official statement to the press, adding that "the repercussions of this incident definitely extends beyond [them]". "We fear it will erode the confidence of music promoters and various stakeholders in the live entertainment industry across the nation and threaten the stability of our burgeoning live arts scene," they wrote. 

FSA also went on to explain that, prior to the festival, The 1975 and their team reassured them they would adhere to local performance guidelines but that Healy regrettably "did not honour these assurances, despite our trust in their commitment".

"Healy’s actions took us by complete surprise, and we halted the show as promptly as feasible following the incident. Healy's unprofessional behaviour and overt defiance of Malaysian laws and regulations are disturbing. Healy chose to utilise his performance as a platform to express his personal views, rather than delivering the quality show that his Malaysian fans were eagerly anticipating. This act is deeply unfair to his fans who were looking forward to enjoying a memorable music experience," FSA continued. 

"FSA is now left to address the repercussions of actions taken by an individual not present to be held accountable and face the implications of his actions—impacting fans, industry players, and the nation. Moving forward, we are committed to learning from this experience and taking necessary steps to reinforce communication with artists and their management teams. We will emphasise the importance of professionalism and adherence to local regulations to ensure that future events are conducted with even greater care and diligence."

The 1975's headlining performance was cut short yesterday (21 July) "due to non-compliance with local performance guidelines". Good Vibes Festival will providing refunds to all ticket holders, more details will be announced soon. 

This year was set to be Good Vibes Festival's 10th-year anniversary. The three-day event was supposed to run from 21 to 23 July with performances from The Strokes, The Kid LAROI, DPR LIVE and DPR IAN, LEEHI, Peach Tree Rascals, and more.