Lithuanian DJ Ten Walls has been met with severe backlash around the world following a since-deleted Facebook post that compared homosexuality to pedophilia. In the wake of it all, this has now led to a concert cancellation in Vancouver.
Known for his single "Walking with Elephants," Ten Walls (a.k.a. Marijus Adomaitis) made the offending post on June 3. It had him recalling an encounter with another DJ where they had an argument over homosexuality. Apparently, the other DJ was supportive of LGBT community, while Adomaitis was not.
Adomaitis wrote [via Gay Star News]: "I remember producing music for one Lithuanian musician, who tried to wash my brain that I don't need to be so conservative and intolerant about them. When I asked him 'what would you do if you realized that your 16-year-old son's browny [anus] is ripped by his boyfriend?' Well he was silent."
He went on to compare homosexuality to the pedophilic atrocities committed on young children by Catholic priests, claiming, "Unfortunately the people of other breed continue to do it and everyone knows it but does nothing."
Furor over the comments led them to be removed and has had many festivals, promoters and his record label Phonica distancing themselves from the artist. So far, organizers behind the UK's Creamfields festival, the Netherlands' PITCH event, Austria's Urban Art Forms Festival, Spain's Sónar, California's HARD Summer and Belgium's Pukkelpop have all removed Ten Walls from their bill.
Vancouver's Blueprint Events also confirmed today (June 8) that a Canadian appearance at Vancouver's Fortune Sound Club that was to take place July 30 has been axed over Ten Walls' views.
The promoters wrote: "As most of you are well aware, Ten Walls has made some derogatory and completely unacceptable comments about the LGBT community that we cannot tolerate. As such, the appropriate response is the cancellation of this show."
Ten Walls' booking company, Coda Music Agency, has also withdrawn its support for the artist, while Phonica has halted pre-orders for his Sparta 12-inch.
In the wake of the uproar, Adomaitis has posted an apology over Facebook. You can read his response to the controversy down below.
Last week I wrote a Facebook post that was wrong and completely out of character and the result was a badly written post that was unacceptable. It was never my intention to offend anyone. I'm really saddened by everything that has happened and I would like to apologise to everyone I've let down, especially to my friends in the gay community, and my fans.
I now need to take a break and have cancelled my upcoming shows.
Known for his single "Walking with Elephants," Ten Walls (a.k.a. Marijus Adomaitis) made the offending post on June 3. It had him recalling an encounter with another DJ where they had an argument over homosexuality. Apparently, the other DJ was supportive of LGBT community, while Adomaitis was not.
Adomaitis wrote [via Gay Star News]: "I remember producing music for one Lithuanian musician, who tried to wash my brain that I don't need to be so conservative and intolerant about them. When I asked him 'what would you do if you realized that your 16-year-old son's browny [anus] is ripped by his boyfriend?' Well he was silent."
He went on to compare homosexuality to the pedophilic atrocities committed on young children by Catholic priests, claiming, "Unfortunately the people of other breed continue to do it and everyone knows it but does nothing."
Furor over the comments led them to be removed and has had many festivals, promoters and his record label Phonica distancing themselves from the artist. So far, organizers behind the UK's Creamfields festival, the Netherlands' PITCH event, Austria's Urban Art Forms Festival, Spain's Sónar, California's HARD Summer and Belgium's Pukkelpop have all removed Ten Walls from their bill.
Vancouver's Blueprint Events also confirmed today (June 8) that a Canadian appearance at Vancouver's Fortune Sound Club that was to take place July 30 has been axed over Ten Walls' views.
The promoters wrote: "As most of you are well aware, Ten Walls has made some derogatory and completely unacceptable comments about the LGBT community that we cannot tolerate. As such, the appropriate response is the cancellation of this show."
Ten Walls' booking company, Coda Music Agency, has also withdrawn its support for the artist, while Phonica has halted pre-orders for his Sparta 12-inch.
In the wake of the uproar, Adomaitis has posted an apology over Facebook. You can read his response to the controversy down below.
Last week I wrote a Facebook post that was wrong and completely out of character and the result was a badly written post that was unacceptable. It was never my intention to offend anyone. I'm really saddened by everything that has happened and I would like to apologise to everyone I've let down, especially to my friends in the gay community, and my fans.
I now need to take a break and have cancelled my upcoming shows.
