Gateway Center Arena Cancels Upcoming Bassnectar Shows Due to Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Gateway Center Arena has canceled a Bassnectar show after the venue received immediate disapproval from the community.

Despite his upcoming court trial, Gateway Center Arena had scheduled Bassnectar to perform on April 26 and 27. The community had spoken out against the shows, emphasizing the sexual assault allegations against the dubstep producer. A petition calling for the cancelation of the show in Georgia had been circulating social media soon after it was announced. 

“The safety and well-being of our community are of the utmost importance and as such, we have decided to cancel the event,” Gateway Center Arena had written on Instagram. The venue confirmed that it had conducted an internal investigation after being made aware of the allegations. 

Lorin Ashton, also known as Bassnectar, was first accused of engaging in sexual acts with minors in 2020. He was sued by two women the next year for alleged sexual misconduct, human trafficking, and more that took place between 2012 and 2016. The artist left the music scene after the accusations were made public and has continuously denied the allegations.

In a statement to Billboard about his latest show cancelation, Ashton’s attorneys said, “He’s never been found liable for anything or even charged with anything. This mob-driven decision is cancel culture gone mad.” The trial was recently rescheduled for February 2025. 

After a three-year hiatus, Bassnectar released an album and began to announce shows. His attempts to return to the scene have consistently resulted in push-back from electronic music fans. He attempted to play two shows on Halloween but was forced to cancel after people began protesting the performance. 

Bassnectar officially returned in October of 2023 when he played at Mandalay Bay. Even with a pending trial, he played two shows at Palladium Times Square on New Year’s Eve. The artist has not announced any new shows or plans for his career.