Watain Concert in Singapore Cancelled

A change of decision following assessment by Ministry of Home Affairs and Communications led to the cancellation of the Swedish heavy metal band’s performance

Swedish black metal band Watain’s concert in Singapore on Thursday, 7 March was cancelled hours before the band was due to take stage.

The decision was made by Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) following the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)’s assessment of the concert being inadequate to proceed due to “reasons of public order”.

IMDA had originally permitted the concert to proceed with the rating of Restricted 18 (R18) and restrictions from using religious symbols during the concert, references to religion on stage and satanic or ritualistic acts performed on stage, as listed in their statements to the public.

However, as reported on Channel NewsAsia, after “discussions with the senior clerics, MPs and the community”, MHA “[had] provided its assessment that the performance should not proceed”, as the performance “has potential to cause enmity and disrupt Singapore’s social harmony”.

According to MHA, the band Watain has a “history of denigrating religions and promoting violence”, “[espousing] anti-christian views”, and was known to throw controversial concerts with Satanist elements involved, with the use of animal carcasses and the throwing of pig blood on the audience in their concerts.

Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam explained further on the issue at a Dadah Itu Haram event, commenting that it should be inculcated in Singaporean youngsters to “treat others the same way that you are expected to be treated”, citing a Facebook photo of mainly young Malay men showing the one-finger sign with Watain.

He revealed that in discussions with Christian preachers, they told him that the Ministry had been “very strict when it comes to anti-Muslim, anti-Islamic messages”. This could be seen from how the Ministry had previously banned a Danish cartoon and The Satanic Verses book that were accused of blasphemy against Islam, but might have been considered literature. The preachers felt that what Watain are saying about Christianity was far worse. They then enquired why the Ministry had permitted the Watain concert, commenting that the ministry is “[treating] the Muslim community differently [from] the Christian community.”

According to The Straits Times, Mr Shanmugam said that it may not be “completely true, but it is an approach”, adding that the topic was important and the community should seek to understand and discuss it openly, even though it “was not directly related to the community”.

“We have to send the message that this is not what the Muslim community thinks. These are black metal group supporters; they are not the mainstream community.” Mr Shanmugam added.

Chief Officer of Pergas Mohammad Yusri Yubhi Md Yusoff felt that the move to cancel the Watain concert was a fair one. He said that everyone “should work together in maintaining religious harmony and be careful about doing things that can cause misunderstandings among the people here”. Other MPs supported banning Watain’s performance in Singapore but also hoped that there will not be a repeat of last-minute concert cancellations.

According to a TODAY online article, the organiser, Ravage Records, has spent between S$15,000 and S$20,000 on the concert, which sold 150 tickets. Fans, including some who have taken leave from work to fly in from Malaysia and Indonesia to attend the concert, felt disappointed that it was cancelled.

Watain’s frontman Erik Danielsson said he was in full understanding of the authorities’ decision, but commented the actions as "self-righteous attempts to govern other people's lives and decisions, as if our supporters in Singapore were incapable of deciding for themselves”.

As of 10 April 2019, change.org petition calling to ban the performance of Watain, and another Swedish death metal band, Soilwork, has garnered more than 20,000 signatures. According to Ms. Rachel Chan, the starter of the petition, the bands were “not (representing) the culture which we want in our youths.” as "Their subliminal messages in their songs include death and suicide.”

References

Hermes. (2019, March 10). Shanmugam: Layan orang lain sepertimana kita ingin dilayan, Berita Setempat. Retrieved from https://www.beritaharian.sg/setempat/shanmugam-layan-orang-lain-sepertimana-kita-ingin-dilayan

Mohan, M. (2019, March 07). 'Like a stab in the back': Anger, disappointment after Swedish metal band Watain's concert cancelled. Retrieved from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/watain-concert-cancelled-fans-react-imda-black-metal-11321610?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna

National Council of Churches welcomes MHA's decision to cancel Watain concert in Singapore. (2019, March 09). Retrieved from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/national-council-of-churches-singapore-mha-watain-concert-11327376?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_24082018_cna

N. K. (2019, March 10). No-go for Watain concert: Organisers, fans upset by authorities' decision. Retrieved from https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/no-go-watain-concert-organisers-fans-upset-and-disappointed

Swedish black metal band Watain S'pore concert cancelled by IMDA on the day itself. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://mothership.sg/2019/03/watain-singapore-concert-cancelled/

Swedish black metal band Watain's gig in Singapore cancelled due to 'security concerns'. (2019, March 07). Retrieved from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/watain-black-metal-concert-cancelled-singapore-11320738

Tan, S., & Ting, C. Y. (2019, March 09). Shanmugam explains reason for Watain concert cancellation. Retrieved March 21, 2019, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/shanmugam-explains-reason-for-cancellation