Pentagram tour in Australia and New Zealand is shelved after online protests.
Pioneering doom metal band Pentagram has postponed their debut tour of Australia and New Zealand following objections raised by The Red Heart Campaign, an organization that highlights issues of violence against women and children.
In a social media post last week, the organisation highlighted singer Bobby Liebling’s 2017 criminal conviction, which resulted in an 18-month jail sentence in Maryland for the abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult—his own mother.
With the headline “Violent thug to perform in Australia”, the organisation criticised the decision to host the band, stating: “Australian venues and the government are allowing a man who brutalised his elderly mum to perform here, right in the middle of a male violence epidemic!”.
The Red Heart Campaign urged concerned individuals to reach out to the tour’s venues, as well as to Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
In response, Hardline Media—the company behind the tour’s promotion and merchandise—has now decided to place the shows on hold.
“Due to the current allegations surrounding the Pentagram Australian/New Zealand Tour, Hardline Media has decided to place this tour on hiatus,” the company stated. “To clarify, no VISAs have been issued, despite claims made by other media outlets. Neither the venues nor any associated staff are involved in these allegations.
“We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this situation”.
Back in 2016, Bay Area bands Wax Idols and King Woman pulled out of a tour with Pentagram, with vocalists Hether Fortune and Kristina Esfandiari alleging that they were “harassed in gross ways” during the run.
More recently, six of Pentagram’s UK shows scheduled for earlier this month were pushed back to 2026 due to immigration complications.
“Due to the unexpected recent changes in travel restrictions, this unfortunate situation is entirely out of the hands of the band, promoters, and our management,” read a message to ticket holders. “We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the fans and express our regret at not being able to play these shows.”
Pentagram unexpectedly gained viral attention earlier this year after live footage of a wide-eyed Bobby Liebling on stage spread rapidly online.
