Good Vibes Festival (GVF) 2023 will always go down in history as the event that was cancelled after the first day due to the controversial actions of The 1975. Although the band has been hit with a RM11 million lawsuit, lead singer Matty Healy has shown no remorse for breach of contract.
After over 1 year, there’s finally an update about the case, but sadly, the outcome is not what many had hoped for. According to reports, a London judge ruled that The 1975 cannot be held liable for the incident.
Following the cancellation of Good Vibes Festival 2023, Future Sound Asia (FSA), the festival organiser, sued The 1975 for breaching their contract and the damages caused. However, Judge William Hansen stated that the rock band could not be held personally liable for losses incurred by the festival following the vocalist’s controversial speech and act.
The band’s attorney, Edmund Cullen, argued that the lawsuit should only be directed at their company, The 1975 Productions LLP, as they were the ones who signed the agreement, not the individual members. The judge agreed with this argument, stating that the claims against the band members were “bad as a matter of law and that there was no good reason for the matter to go to trial.”
Judge Hansen further stated that the members of The 1975 had the right to limit their liabilities by forming the LLP in order to enter into agreements for their overseas performances. The LLP is a distinct and independent legal entity, separate from the band members.
While the band members will not be held accountable for their actions, the judge allowed FSA’s lawsuit against their company to proceed but ordered FSA to pay £100,000 (RM557,224) in legal costs. Whatever the outcome may be in the future, The 1975 has been banned from ever performing in Malaysia following the GVF incident.
Sources: NST, TheVocket, Digital Music News, Stereogum, Rollingstone
