Bruce Springsteen Cancels North Carolina Gig Over Anti-LGBT Laws

Venerated veteran US musician Bruce Springsteen has taken an active stand against North Carolina's recently implemented Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, commonly known as the 'bathroom law', by cancelling a planned concert in the state's city of Greensboro this weekend.

Explaining his motivations in a note released on Facebook this morning (AEST, also on his website), Springsteen said that the Act, also known simply as House Bill 2, or HB2, "dictates which bathrooms transgender people are permitted to use" as well as "attack[ing] the rights of LGBT citizens to sue when their human rights are violated in the workplace", among some other pretty grim stipulations.

"No other group of North Carolinians faces such a burden," The Boss wrote in his note. "To my mind, it's an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all our citizens to overturn that progress."

Springsteen goes on to acknowledge the efforts of the "many groups, businesses and individuals" who have opposed the legislation in the lead-up to and since its introduction. In the interests of "show[ing] solidarity for those freedom fighters", Springsteen explained that he believes his best course of action was to cancel the Greensboro gig.

"With deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th," Springsteen wrote. "Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them.

"It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards."

Springsteen is currently touring the US on his The River Tour. His next date is 12 April in Columbus, Ohio, with at-home and European dates keeping him busy right through till late July.