Fans of rock legends Pearl Jam and Boston in North Carolina are out of luck if they want to see them live any time soon.
Both bands have canceled their upcoming shows in the southern state in protest of the controversial House Bill 2 (HB2), which is considered an anti-LGBT law.
“The HB2 law that was recently passed is a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens,” grunge greats Pearl Jam wrote in a handwritten statement posted on the band’s Facebook page.
Pearl Jam (pictured above) had been scheduled to perform in Raleigh on Wednesday, while Boston were meant to visit North Carolina for three shows next month.
They join a growing number of groups and individuals boycotting the state since the passage of the bill, which is officially known as the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act. Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr have pulled the plug on scheduled performances in the North Carolina, porn site XHamster has banned the state’s residents from accessing its content, and Cirque du Soleil announced on Friday that it has decided to cancel its upcoming shows in Greensboro, Charlotte and Raleigh.
Calling the legislation “an important regression to ensuring human rights for all,” Cirque du Soleil said in a statement: “Cirque du Soleil believes in equality for all. It is a principle that guides us with both our employees and our customers. We behave as change agents to reach our ultimate goal of making a better world with our actions and our productions.”
Meanwhile, Gregg Allman and Jimmy Buffett are not ditching their shows in the Tar Heel state, despite their support of LGBT rights, and the NBA still plans to keep the 2017 All-Star game in Charlotte next February.
See Pearl Jam’s Facebook post below.