German appearance by Bob Vylan canceled after rap duo’s ‘death to the IDF’ chant

A German music venue says that a planned performance by rap duo Bob Vylan will not take place after its frontman led an anti-Israel chant at the Glastonbury festival.

The group were due to open for the band Gogol Bordello on a European tour this autumn, but the venue in Cologne, the Live Music Hall, says in a post on its Instagram account: “The band ‘Bob Vylan’ will NOT perform as a support act on 13.09.2025!”

An employee at the venue who did not wish to be named tells AFP that “we decided together with local organizers that [Bob Vylan] will not perform here after the media uproar,” which followed their set at Glastonbury.

The concert by Gogol Bordello “will, according to our information, still take place,” she says.

Yesterday, British police said they were launching a criminal investigation into remarks made by Bob Vylan and fellow rap group Kneecap at the festival in southwestern England.

London-based Bob Vylan, who often tackle racism in their tracks, were slammed by international and British politicians after they led the crowds in chants of “Death to the IDF.” The BBC, which broadcast the festival, later apologized for not pulling the live stream of the band’s set.