A day later, Chappell Roan announced he was withdrawing from the 2024 All Things Go Music Festival to “prioritize [her] MUNA paid tribute to the Midwest princess at the festival on Saturday (September 28) night.
“We acknowledge that a very special person is missing tonight,” frontman Katie Gavin said on stage at Forest Hills Arena in Queens. “We just want to say we love Chappelle so much. We formed as a queer band in 2014 and we’ve really been given the time and grace we need as artists. We only wish she got that a million times.
Ron, who was scheduled to compete in All Things Go NYC on Saturday and All Things Go DC on Sunday, explained in a statement on Friday (September 27) that she felt “overwhelmed” and Her appearance on All Things Go will be canceled to focus on her health. Prior to the cancellation, Rowan was criticized by some fans and pundits for refusing to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president, despite explaining that she would be voting for Harris in the 2024 election.
The rock band, made up of Gavin, Josette Maskin and Naomi Macpherson, also went a step further than just talking about Ron, paying “tribute” to the pop supernova they brought together at the last minute. With guitars in hand, the trio performed a cover of Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!,” which is currently No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. RuPaul’s Drag Race Winner Yvie Oddly and New York Queen Beaujangless took the crowd to a joyous Chappell Roan dance during her time.
Roan isn’t the only one from MUNA singing. Ahead of “Kind of Girl,” off their 2022 self-titled album, Gavin said, “We’re dedicating this song to all the trans beauties that are with us tonight.” This isn’t their only cover, either, MUNA led Forest Hills Stadium in a rendition of Vanessa Carlton’s 2002 hit “A Thousand Miles.”
Towards the end of the show, MUNA became overtly political, with Gavin reading a pre-written statement.
“We stand firmly against the far right in the United States, and we are horrified by the ways in which anti-queer and anti-trans attitudes are manifesting themselves in our current political climate,” Gavin said. “Beyond that, we want to abolish the death penalty. It should be uncontroversial to say that we want the well-being of people, animals, and the land before the well-being of the global market.
As her bandmates nodded and the crowd cheered, Gavin continued. “We want to say ‘Fuck fascism,’ and it’s very important that we continue to say ‘Free Palestine.'” Gavin then launched into a brief “Free Palestine” chant, which some of the crowd also joined in on.
Gavin’s comments align with what Ron said in a TikTok video posted on Wednesday (September 25). “Obviously, screw right-wing policies — but also screw some left-wing policies. That’s why I can’t agree with that. There’s no way I can support some of the views on the left that are totally transphobic and totally genocidal,” Ron said. “Fuck Trump, really, but fuck some of the shit that’s going down in the Democratic Party that’s failing people like me and you, not to mention Palestine, and every fringe The community is disappointed.
MUNA’s comments come nearly a year after Hamas militants launched a terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people, including about 360 at the Nova music festival, according to officials. During the attack, more than 250 people were taken hostage by Hamas, of whom approximately 117 were repatriated, eight of whom were later released by Israeli forces. The bodies of 37 hostages have been found, three of whom were accidentally killed by Israeli troops. Israel’s retaliatory military strikes in Gaza have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, including more than 10,000 children, according to health officials in the region. More than one million people have been displaced, resulting in mass famine and an ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Elsewhere in New York City on Saturday night, Doha Cat also spoke about the ongoing war on stage at the Global Citizen Festival in Manhattan’s Central Park. “Right now, millions of men, women and children are suffering in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Congo and around the world. In times like these, it is important to remember that together we have the power to provide support to those who need it most. Come change, love, light and hope,” the rapper said. “Please continue to use your voice to help those fleeing violence get the food, shelter and education they need and deserve.”
