Lebanon: Pro-LGBTQ band says they were told they’d never perform in Jordan again

Lebanese rock band Mashrou’ Leila is known for its socially active lyrics. But the group was banned from playing in Jordan, just a few days before their scheduled concert in Amman, the band said in a statement on Facebook.

The Beirut-based rock quintet is known for its support of political and religious freedom and endorsement of gender equality and sexual identity. That led them to be dubbed “the soundtrack to the Arab Spring,” according to Vice.

The band said that the official, written justification they were provided as to why the April 29 concert was canceled was because the performance would have gone against what the Ministry of Tourism viewed as the “authenticity” of the venue. Read more