Halifax band pulls out of rock festival, citing lack of gender and racial diversity

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.

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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.

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

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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.