Primal Scream have been dropped from an upcoming music festival lineup after facing allegations of antisemitism related to a video played at their most recent concert.
A week ago, Primal Scream played the London venue Roundhouse to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their album XTRMNTR. During their performance of “Swastika Eyes,” a video depicted a swastika within a Star of David. The symbol was transposed onto the eyes of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s allies including US president Donald Trump and UK prime minister Keir Starmer, drawing a connection between the Holocaust and the Israeli government’s current activities in Gaza. The video ended with the message, “Our government is complicit in genocide.”
The band (led by Bobby Gillespie, pictured) later defended the imagery as art “meant to provoke debate, not hate.” But others — including reps for the Roundhouse, the UK-based Jewish charity Community Security Trust, and the Campaign Against Antisemitism — have described it as antisemitic and responded with outrage. Now Primal Scream are facing fallout. Their scheduled performance Aug. 21 at the Trentham Live festival at the Trentham Estate in Stoke-on-Trent, UK has been canceled, the BBC reports.
“The graphics used at a recent Primal Scream concert do not align with our values,” a rep for the festival told the BBC. “We therefore decided to cancel their performance at Trentham Live 2026. While we understand some fans may be disappointed, our priority is ensuring we host an inclusive and fun event for all and we will announce a replacement headliner for the Friday night.”
