Earth: Palestinian flag appears on stage and the band cancels the Bologna concert

The Earth concert scheduled for Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at Bologna's TPO was cancelled just minutes before the show was due to start, with the venue already packed. Behind the cancellation was a backstage clash between Dylan Carlson, leader of the storied Seattle band, and the activists of the social centre running the space, sparked by a Palestinian flag hung at the side of the stage.

According to reports, Carlson had asked for the flag to be removed, a request the TPO refused to grant. At that point the musician reportedly refused to perform, leading to the cancellation of the show, organized by Freakout. Around 10pm, some activists announced the decision directly from the stage, explaining that ticket refunds would be fully covered by the venue and thanking the audience for their understanding, closing with the chant "Free! Free Palestine!"

Shortly afterwards, Carlson posted his own comment via an Instagram story, laying the blame for the cancellation squarely on the venue: “My apologies to the people in Bologna who were hoping to see some music tonight: TPO Bologna put politics ahead of music and cancelled the Earth show. This decision had nothing to do with either Earth or Freakout.”

 

 

 

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The Bologna show was meant to mark Earth's return to Italian stages after their last appearance in 2019, and was the first of two dates scheduled in the country. Despite the cancellation at TPO, the second date of the Italian tour remains confirmed: the band will perform as planned this evening, Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at Circolo Magnolia (Indoor) in Segrate (Milan), with doors opening at 8pm. The event is organised by Hardstaff Booking Agency and Circolo Magnolia, with Nataša Grujović & Steve Moore opening. Entry is restricted to ARCI card holders.

The European tour, titled "Europe 2026", follows the recent shows celebrating the twentieth anniversary of "Hex; Or Printing In The Infernal Method", and sees Carlson joined by Adrienne Davies. The setlist draws mainly on material from "The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull" and from "Hex" itself, alongside a handful of tracks from "Primitive And Deadly", including "California And Other Impossible Dreams", "Miami Morning Coming Down" and "Scalphunter's Blues".

This is not an isolated case: in 2023 Marky Ramone also refused to take the stage during an Italian date of the Marky Ramone's Holiday Blitzkrieg project at CSA Baraonda in Segrate, again over the presence of a Palestinian flag, with the show cancelled at the very last moment. A precedent that brings back into focus the often fraught relationship between self-managed venues, political symbols and touring artists.

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