Melbourne muso Alan James Davies (aka Ezekiel Ox of The Nerve, Full Scale Deflection, Smash Nova and Over-Reactor) has defended New Zealand artist Kody Nielson (aka Silicon), who says he has been booted from Laneway Festival 2016 for “kissing a cop’s gun” during his set at the festival’s Adelaide leg yesterday.
While Laneway Festival is yet to announce Nielson’s removal from the rest of the festival tour, Nielson has told Music Feeds that he is currently on his way back to New Zealand.
Commenting on the story of Silicon’s removal from Laneway on the Music Feeds Facebook page, Davies says Nielson “should be applauded for his stance against weapons at music festivals”.
“There is no need for Police to carry guns at a music festival,” he says. “I have been playing music festivals for 15 years, and have never seen a problem that a gun would make better.
“[Nielson is] an artist, he was free in the creative space. He is playing. Did he threaten anyone? Did he attempt to take the weapon? Did he ask for it to be brought into his audiences space? No.
“He brought music, the cops brought a threat of violence, to which he responded with love. Laneway have really let this artist and the punters down by siding with those who carry weapons.”
Since the incident involving a police officer’s gun, Nielson has taken to Twitter to slam Laneway and police for allegedly treating him “like a criminal for being unpredictable”.
Laneway Festival has declined to comment on Nielson’s tweets or the incident involving police. Music Feeds has also contacted South Australian Police for comment on the incident.
Catch some of Davies’ Facebook comments, below.
UPDATE 06/02/16 5:50pm: Kody Nielson, aka Silicon, has spoken out about the incident with police which led to him being kicked off the 2016 Laneway Festival tour.
UPDATE 07/02/16 5.30pm: Laneway Festival organisers have remained bizarrely silent over Silicon’s ousting.
Ezekiel Ox Comments On Silicon’s Laneway Festival Incident (Via Music Feeds Facebook)
