Music lovers, brace yourselves for some not-so-good vibes. The Good Vibes Festival (GVF) 2024, one of Malaysia’s most anticipated music events, has been cancelled. The two-day extravaganza, originally set for July 20-21, 2024, at Resorts World Awana, has hit an unexpected roadblock.
So, what’s the deal? It all comes down to a royal affair. The Installation Ceremony of Malaysia’s 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, is scheduled for July 20. This grand event has prompted authorities to hit pause on all large-scale performances featuring international artists on that date.
Future Sound Asia, the festival’s organizer, got the memo on June 27. They were told to reschedule, but here’s the catch – GVF isn’t your average concert. With a lineup of globe-trotting artists scheduled over multiple days, shifting dates is like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded. It’s just not happening.
For those who’ve already snagged tickets, don’t sweat it. Full refunds are on the way, automatically heading back to the payment method you used. No need to jump through hoops or fill out endless forms.
The cancellation is a major bummer for fans who were hyped to see an impressive roster of international acts. Japanese singer-songwriter Joji, American rapper Russ, Colombian singer J Balvin, and South Korean DJ Peggy Gou were all set to light up the stage. Now, they’ll have to catch these artists another time, another place.
This isn’t the first time GVF has faced hurdles. Last year’s event, celebrating its 10th anniversary, was cut short after a controversial performance by The 1975. The English pop-rock band’s frontman, Matty Healy, stirred up a storm with comments about Malaysia’s anti-LGBT laws, topped off with an onstage kiss. The result? A ban on the band and a premature end to the festival.
The cancellation of GVF 2024 is part of a broader directive from the Central Agency for Application For Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (JK-Puspal). They’ve put the kibosh on all concerts with foreign performers scheduled for July 20, citing government guidelines that frown upon large-scale foreign artist performances on certain dates.
While the reasoning behind the cancellation is clear, it’s a tough pill to swallow for Malaysia’s music scene. GVF has been a staple of the country’s cultural calendar, bringing together music enthusiasts and putting Malaysia on the map for international tours.
As we bid farewell to GVF 2024, music fans are left wondering: What’s next for Malaysia’s festival scene? Will there be alternatives popping up to fill the void? Only time will tell. For now, it seems the only vibes we’ll be catching this July are royal ones.