California punk band NOFX are no strangers to controversy, but their latest bout with tastelessness went too far. frontman Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin concluded their Las Vegas Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival set with an on-stage exchange that included a joke about the October 2017 shooting that left 50 people dead and hundreds other wounded.
Fat Mike said “We played a song about Muslims and we didn’t get shot. Hooray.” Melvin then replied with “I guess you only get shot in Vegas if you are in a country band.” Fat Mike followed that quip with “at least they were country fans and not punk rock fans.” Seriously.
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
NOFX used an image of Bill Cosby on all access passes during 2015 Fat Wreck Chords’ anniversary shows. They also took considerable heat in 2010 for serving fans urine at a SXSW appearance, so it’s clear that their perfectly comfortable being complete shit bags.
Tragedy struck in Las Vegas in early October when gunman Stephen Paddock opened fire on concert attendees from 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. 50 people were killed and hundreds were wounded at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, an outdoor country music festival.
Country artist Jason Aldean was performing when the shooting began, but he left the stage amid rapid bursts of gunfire.
Image via Flickr/Mathias Heinel