According to Complex.com, Rock The Country, a two- day music event largely backed by artist Kid Rock, has been cancelled due to an influx of performers dropping out of the show. Bands, including rock group Shinedown, have announced that they are pulling out of the show, heading to social media to say “our band’s purpose is to unite, not divide.”
The statement made by Shinedown is in reference to Kid Rock and his large backing of the festival. Rock has become much more politically active over the years and has aligned himself heavily with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Rock has been seen with President Trump, has performed at many Trump events, and went viral a few years ago for turning an assault rifle on dozens of cases of Bud Light after one of their ad campaigns featured a transgender spokesperson.
More recently, Kid Rock could be seen performing at Turning Point USA’s “alternative” halftime show for this year’s big game. Turning Point USA is, of course, the organization founded by former podcaster and debater Charlie Kirk, who is often considered a pivotal piece in the MAGA movement.
The first notion of the event started as a way to celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. As the American political landscape continues to change by the day, what it means to perform in this concert has changed for many artists. As a result of Kid Rock and artists often aligned with him now, any performance in this event would almost come as “choosing a side” for an artist or band. For those not willing to do that yet, it simply was not worth the risk. For others, the choice was an easy one.
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