Band pulls out of rock festival, citing lack of gender, racial diversity

HALIFAX - A Halifax indie rock band is pulling out of a Nova Scotia music festival, saying the lineup lacks diversity.

In-Flight Safety frontman John Mullane tweeted that he felt out of sorts after Truro's Rock the Hub festival revealed a lineup consisting almost entirely of all-male and "nearly all-white" bands.

He says he found himself apologizing to close friends about the lineup, and decided apologies weren't enough.

Mullane calls it a small gesture that he hopes will "prompt more critical thinking" when it comes to festivals including female and non-white performers.

The festival released its August 2018 lineup last week, including rock music heavyweights Sloan, I Mother Earth, Big Wreck and Finger Eleven.

In February, four Canadian music events joined an international pledge to fight inequality in the industry by vowing to have gender parity across their lineups by 2022.

Respectfully, I am withdrawing @InFlight_Safety from the 'Rock The Hub' Festival. I hope this gesture - however small - can help move the conversation forward about fostering more diversity on festival lineups. pic.twitter.com/ijont9ZTYT
— JoHn Mullane (@johnmullane) April 25, 2018