A Florida music festival is experiencing significant changes after the announcement of Kyle Rittenhouse as a guest led to the withdrawal of its headliner and several other acts. Shell Shock II, a metal festival scheduled for October 19 in Orlando and promoted as a “PTSD Charity and Awareness Event” by The Antihero Podcast, has faced criticism since revealing Rittenhouse’s involvement.
Rittenhouse was involved in a shooting during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in August 2020, where he shot three individuals, resulting in two fatalities. He was later acquitted of all charges connected to the incident.
Following the announcement, headlining band Evergreen Terrace publicly canceled their participation, stating on social media, “Evergreen Terrace has always supported and continues to support philanthropic events for veterans, PTSD awareness, child poverty, and many more, but we will not align with an event promoting a perceived murderer such as Kyle Rittenhouse capitalizing off of their pseudo celebrity.” They emphasized their intent to contribute to a veterans’ charity and urged others to do the same.
In addition, Evergreen Terrace announced plans for a separate show featuring other bands that also pulled out of Shell Shock, with proceeds going to a veterans organization. They concluded their statement by asserting their commitment to music rather than political rallies.
Other bands that withdrew from the festival include Southpaw, American Hollow, and Let Me Bleed. The Antihero Podcast commented that the situation has escalated beyond a mere concert, framing it as “a war of ideology.”
With the lineup changes, the festival is now set to be headlined by SiC, a Texas-based Slipknot cover band.