Volumes Frontman Allegedly Attacked by Venue Security in Nashville for Dedicating Song to Gay Friend

by | Jan 27, 2013

Volumes frontman Michael Barr was allegedly jumped by security at Nashville’s all-ages Christian venue Rocketown after dedicating a song to a gay friend during the band’s set Saturday night.

“heard about this venue rocketown went in completely positive we dedicated a song to a gay got banned then my singer got jumped…” bassist Raad Soudani tweeted. He added, “My singer gets jumped by security, gets death threats. I’m sick of it.”

This is the second time in the past week that Rocketown has found itself under intense criticism and accused of being anti-gay. Last Tuesday news went viral that the Christian venue fired a longtime employee for wearing a Hostage Calm shirt that said “I Support Same-Sex Marriage.”

The venue has been in the center of controversy several times over the years. In March 2011 Asking Alexandria were banned from the venue; In October 2009 Rocketown banned The Black Dahlia Murder and Toxic Holocaust after local Christian conservatives deemed them “satanic.”

“Nashville pick your upcoming venues more wisely,” Barr tweeted. “I will never ever play ROCKETOWN again.”

Periphery Interview: Music Philosophy, The Next Album, & Haunted Shores

It’s Friday night in West Hollywood, and Periphery guitarist Alex Bois just picked up an unexpected souvenir. “We got a $100 ticket [for parking on Sunset Blvd],” he exclaims. “But it’s ok, it’s Friday night and we’re here in Hollywood.” Perhaps optimism like this is...

Easy Talk with O’Brother: An Interview about Life on the Road & Garden Window

On a warm winter day at Bonnerhaus, the Ryan’s Rock Show headquarters in North Hollywood, O’Brother guitarist Johnny Dang speaks of touring with Circa Survive. “[We] were going to play a prank on them the first day of tour [in 2010], but they were too...