British punk duo Bob Vylan made a defiant return to the stage on Wednesday at London’s iconic 100 Club, their first live performance since the controversy surrounding their Glastonbury set. The show comes after the group was removed from European festivals, dropped by their U.S. booking agency, and had their American visas revoked. Their offense: leading a chant of “Death to the IDF” at Glastonbury, a moment that sparked international backlash and a BBC apology.
Frontman Bobby Vylan, real name Pascal Robinson-Foster, took a noticeably more cautious approach during the 100 Club gig. When sections of the crowd began repeating the controversial chant, he quickly intervened: “No, no, no. You’re going to get me in trouble.” Instead, he redirected the energy into chants of “Free, free Palestine,” keeping the message political but steering away from the previous controversy.
Despite the criticism and canceled appearances—including from Glastonbury, Radar Festival, and France’s Kave Fest—the duo doubled down on their stance. Bobby Vylan used the moment to reiterate their core message: “We just want to see the liberation of the Palestinian people… They will not silence us.”
Bob Vylan’s latest album Humble as the Sun has re-entered the UK charts, a fact the frontman proudly acknowledged mid-show. “They thought this would shut us up, but the album is back in the charts,” he said.
While British police are reportedly investigating the Glastonbury performance, the band insists that their activism is rooted in human rights. Closing their set by holding a Palestinian flag, Bobby stated, “The attention should be on the people suffering—not on the words of a punk band.”