Heavy metal has a new sub-genre: anti-vaxcore.
Doom metal band The Obsessed called off its Sept. 20 date at the Knockout based on the city’s Covid vaccine mandate.
On Wednesday, metal blog Blabbermouth noted that the band had posted an announcement on Instagram: "It is with regret that THE OBSESSED will not be playing the September 20th show in San Francisco at The Knockout. We cannot agree with or condone any type of discrimination for entry. Thanks for your understanding."
Any confusion about what frontman Scott ‘Wino’ Weinrich meant by “discrimination” can be easily cleared up by taking a spin through his social media feed. Last year, Wino, a Covid truther, offered an opinion to his 13,000 followers: American scientists helped manufacture Covid to use as a genetically engineered bioweapon, and elected officials are conspiring to hide this truth from the public.
Wino doubled down on his theory in a Jan. 2022 interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic, insisting that the Moderna vaccine is not legitimate. "I know what I know, and it all points to a sinister depopulation agenda,” Weinrich said. “And I don't give a fuck what anybody thinks. That's what I believe."
As of June 21, 2022, San Francisco requires attendees of large indoor events to show their proof of vaccination if a venue chooses to enforce a vax policy.
Weinrich confirmed on his Instagram that the SF show was canceled due to the vaccine mandate, answering a fan’s question with a simple “Yup.”
Response to the news varied on social media. Instagram user bzelliott commented, “Sick sad world. Hold the line !!!” An account called namelesscults_ added, “They’re so woke up there in the bay.”