Never straying from their idealistic punk roots, the Dead Kennedys have cancelled an upcoming show at the Los Angeles venue Olympic Auditorium due to its sponsorship by the notoriously right-wing Coors Company. According to a statement from DK guitarist East Bay Ray, “Dead Kennedys have always been wary of corporate sponsorship…Dead Kennedys want nothing to do with this event or Coors and I am disgusted that they are now sponsoring punk shows, something they are politically at odds with.” The statement from the band also included an apology to fans, but also a cautionary statement: “[We] hop to serve as an example to the punk rock community that certain ideals shouldn’t be sacrificed.” The Kennedys plan to play a make-up date in Los Angeles at some point — sans corporate sponsor.
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