Mägo de Oz responds to Vilagarcía's cancellation: "We hope they also ban reggaeton for trivializing sexism."

Following the decision by the Vilagarcía de Arousa municipal government to cancel the concert Mägo de Oz was scheduled to give on August 19th in the town, following statements made this week by guitarist Víctor de Andrés during a performance in Asturias, the band has issued a statement that it has sent to ABC and shared on its social media.

«On the occasion of the umpteenth controversy created around Mägo de Oz by the Vilagarcia de Arousa City Council, due to the cancellation of the concert that was to be held in said town in Pontevedra, we want to clarify and defend ourselves against the numerous rumors, half-truths and phrases taken out of context in a biased, interested and political way:

1. Mägo de Oz, like any human group, artistic or working, is a faithful reflection, on a small scale, of our society. Different political ideas and diverse ways of seeing life coexist within it, but at the same time, Mägo de Oz, as a brand, has always had a staunch defense of progressive ideas in our lyrics, as exemplified by songs such as; "El que quiere entender que entiende" (He who wants to understand, let him understand), framing the values of the LGBTI+ movement; support for transgender people and gender identity in "Seremos huracán" (We Will Be a Hurricane); the inclusion of people with Down syndrome in "Hazme un sitio entre tu piel" (Make Me a Place Between Your Skin); the defense of a dignified death in "Quiero que apagues mi luz" (I Want You to Turn Off My Light); and countless humanist songs in defense of tolerance and diversity.

2. It's clear that insults directed at any Spanish president are at odds with our upbringing and values. These insults were hurled by far-right figures at the concert in the town of Llanera (Asturias). We are outraged by so many corrupt politicians, regardless of their political party.

3. We will not allow any blackmail or morality lectures from any city council for statements made in the context of a concert, intended as satire and humor, without implicitly addressing social and political criticism. We believe that this political party of the Vilagarcia de Arousa city council has made a decision that, while highly respectable, will have to defend before the other citizens of the town of different political affiliations, who have the right to a controversy-free festival, enjoying the entertainment and, above all, the music.

From here, we want to put an end to this absurd controversy and we defend and will always defend freedom of expression using education, tolerance, and good judgment. We eagerly await the Vilagarcia City Council's ban on all urban music and reggaeton songs that "trivialize sexism and the objectification of women." Sometimes we have very thin skin, gentlemen... Let the music speak for itself!

Víctor de Andrés' controversial remarks were: "I'm going to tell you one thing so this never happens again in history. I don't care who governs, stop stealing from us, especially our cocaine and whores." He also exclaimed: " Sánchez, retweet this shit because I want to be famous again. I'll shit on your dead bodies, assholes ." At this last remark, part of the audience began chanting "Pedro Sánchez, son of a bitch!"

After the controversy, the guitarist published a video explaining his position, in which he stated: "Meddling with the right is a joke that tells itself completely. The video was cut by a 20-year-old kid, who will surely be a Vox voter because of this new modern thing, who took a short speech of mine (...) "Have I messed with the President of the Government? Yes! Because I don't like anyone to steal from me, neither the left nor the right. And probably in my next speech obviously, because there will continue to be, it will be against Montoro, because it is the fashionable topic.

For his part, the band's other guitarist, Jorge Salán, distanced himself, stating: "Regarding the mess that's been made with the video, I don't support that kind of talk; I never have, and I never will. Those of you who have followed my career know the messages I've always conveyed through my lyrics, my guitar, and my music."

Mägo de Oz's replacements will be Toreros Muertos, and other singers who will be in Vilagarcía this summer include Ainhoa Arteta and David Bustamante, "with other performances to be revealed in the coming days," municipal sources said in a statement.