Music

DJ locked in a cage against his will at UK festival

by Jeremy Mersereau

Imagine a world where up-and-coming electronic producers and DJs were locked in giant cages for all to gawk at. Oh, right. Well, imagine they couldn’t bring their gear in. “Sounds like paradise on Earth!” – Rockist Rick.

Well, you and Rick don’t have to imagine, because that’s just what happened at the Leeds festival in the UK this past weekend, when security decided that performer, producer, and DJ Evian Christ, was a suspicious character and confined him to an outdoor cage for over an hour. “That’s what you get for calling yourself something like that!” Thanks Rick, I can take it from here.

In a Facebook message posted yesterday, Evian Christ (real name: Joshua Leary) explains how he was detained in a cage on suspicion of “trying to break into the festival without a ticket” after performing. The message was accompanying a previous video of Christ’s POV as he stood locked inside the music festival’s outdoor corral (just imagine reading this sentence out of context). He was eventually released by a “more senior” member of security after over an hour of confinement.

Despite being asked by Mr. Christ, the festival hasn’t offered any kind of apology, and appears to have doubled down on their DJ detainment deal. Festival promoter Melvin Benn told the NME that Evian was “found in a not very good state in the woods” and that “he was effectively held until we knew who he was.” The Facebook message disputes that version of events:

I’d had a few drinks as i always do at a show (your festival provided them) but i was fine and your security staff removed the only form of identification given to me after i provided them with it. those in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at a DJ they locked in a cage

Evian subsequently cancelled his scheduled Reading Festival appearance (Reading and Leeds share the same promotion company) in retaliation, which was to take place last Sunday. Apparently not taking this expression of protest well, festival staff decided to…well, it’s easier if you just see a pic:

OK, that’s a little funny. Still a colossal dick move though. Per Evian Christ: “Personally i didn’t find this massively appropriate.” Yeah, no kidding. “He got what he deserved, with a name like that!” Please go home, Rick.