Brian Molko, frontman of the iconic alternative rock band Placebo, has landed himself in hot water after calling Italy’s prime minister “racist” and “fascist” during a show at the Sonic Park festival in Stupinigi. The lead singer made the comments in Italian to the 10,000-strong crowd, urging them to “fuck you” to Giorgia Meloni, leader of the country’s right-wing Brothers of Italy party.
Prosecutors in Turin have since opened an investigation into Molko’s comments, as Italy’s criminal code punishes anyone who publicly defames the republic with a fine of between €1,000 and €5,000. The Brothers of Italy party has neo-fascist roots and has been pushing its anti-immigration policies and plans to limit LGBTQ rights since its election victory last year.
Meanwhile, Placebo’s Dublin show at 3Arena on June 26th saw Molko take a stand against concertgoers who were using their phones instead of living in the moment. The band had previously asked fans to refrain from using their phones during their gigs on social media, and Molko paused the performance during ‘Hugz’ to remind them.
At this year’s Download festival, Placebo delivered an iconic performance of their gender-bending breakthrough hit ‘Nancy Boy’ for the first time in six years. The band had previously shared their reluctance to play any of their old songs after their long ‘Best of’ tour. Fans of Placebo were incredibly pleased with the set, which was a nostalgic throwback to their older work.
Leave a Reply