[UPDATE] Regurgitator Release Statement On Withdrawal From ANU Finale Gig

UPDATE: Regurgitator have released a full statement on their decision to withdraw from the event, explaining that their "position on matters of gender equality, social justice and equal opportunity for all" has made it impossible for them to proceed with playing the ANU finale gig.

"Based on the subsequent responses from the organisers to criticism about the heavy gender bias of the lineup and how this has aggravated rather than managed to accommodate the concerns posed online by people in Canberra, we have had to cancel our upcoming involvement in this ANU BAR finale lineup," they wrote.

"Not excusing ourselves, but not knowing the majority of the bands selected we had no idea of the heavy gender bias of the lineup," they continued. "We have friends who identify as non-binary or non-gender specific along with many from the LGBTQI+ community.

"We very much support mixed demographic scenarios where possible covering diversity in gender, sexuality, race etc. Like most we are not without our own flaws in managing such concerns but we are aware of how important this is, so this matter very much concerns us as a group."

See the bottom of the article for the full statement.

Veteran outfit Regurgitator have led the way for artists scheduled to perform at this June's impending final gig at Canberra's ANU Bar in pulling out of the show, following widespread backlash over the promoter's response to queries about its all male line-up.

The band made the announcement with relatively little fanfare in a comment thread on Facebook this afternoon after being made aware of the growing controversy around the gig, which had featured Regurgitator and 10 other bands — without a single woman or non-binary musician between them — curated by Greenroom Canberra promoter Garry Peadon.

"Regurgitator will no longer be performing at the ANU Finale," they said.

According to Music Junkee, Canberra four-piece Slow Turismo have also pulled out of the gig, telling the site that they feel the band "cannot be part of an event that does not represent the future of Australian music".

The backlash against the show hit fever pitch yesterday after a commenter asked Peadon why there were no women or non-binary musicians on the line-up, to which Peadon replied: "Why do I have [to] even think about this shit? What the fuck is a non binary?"

Peadon has remained unapologetic about his curation decisions, explaining that he is "not changing the line-up" despite widespread calls for him to reconsider.

"The bands [were] chosen for a reason, not for what's between their member's legs," Peadon wrote on Facebook. "Most acts have a long history with the bar, some of the newer acts have extraordinary talent, the acts fit my budget and are also available. I'm not putting on acts I don't personally like.

"For the record, I did have a couple of acts on my list that contained females, but they weren't available."

Peadon appeared on ABC Radio Canberra today to further defend himself, reiterating much of what he had previously said online.

Despite Regurgitator and Slow Turismo's withdrawal, the gig is, at this stage, still going ahead on 17 June before the venue's closure.