The Psycho Las Vegas Festival begins today with it’s annual pre-fest pool party, Psycho Swim, and fans may have noticed a change in the schedule. The festival announced that American rock singer and guitarist Robert Scott Weinrich, better known as Wino, will no longer be playing at the event.

Originally scheduled for an acoustic set, Wino has decided to drop out of the festival due to a mask mandate. The frontman of The Obsessed took to Facebook to explain his decision and it surely has some fans scratching their heads.

In an official statement posted to the official The Obsessed Facebook page, Wino channels his inner conspiracy theorist and claims that COVID-19 is a biological weapon funded by the government. Claiming to have done extensive research through YouTube, scientific publications, journals and lectures, the singer states that the evidence points to the the virus existing and being weaponized.

Wino writes, “Our govt (NIH) has been complicit in the financing, and shared scientific lab work creating a SARS based super coronavirus, designed specifically for lethality and easy dissemination amongst the human population.”

In his incredibly long single paragraph, Wino doubts the legitimacy of the “so called pandemic” as well PCR tests and rapid tests, which he claims are both inaccurate. Seemingly frustrated by an evolving scientific opinion, Wino lays out his personal belief to fans and it is best read in full.

“We are under the authoritarian cloak of a small cadre of unelected so called “elite” who are beyond rich and consequently consider themselves above the common man. This virus I believe was created as a depopulation tool, and the fear associated with it as a means to subjugate and enslave you and I, the common people. I cannot, in good conscious, perform my music in an environment that is designed to take away individuality, civil liberties and free will.”

Wino makes it clear that principle not fear is the reasoning behind his decision to pull out of Psycho Las Vegas. Before closing his proclamation of cancellation, Wino apologizes to fans and friends and states that “it’s time to wake up.”

This announcement should not surprise fans as Wino has not been afraid to voice his disdain for mask mandates in the past. On August 3rd, Wino wrote a comment on Instagram that stated “wheres a place you prefer? Its gotta have a stage, pa, and free of mask requirements.”

Wino and The Obsessed were originally scheduled to tour with The Skull in July but those plans were ruined when The Skull had to drop out in August due to COVID concerns. The Skull’s lead singer, Eric Wagner, is currently hospitalized for COVID pneumonia.

The festival, which takes place August 20th-22nd at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, announced earlier this month that Mastodon will be replacing Norwegian metal band Emperor as the headlining band due to visa troubles.