Bassnectar announces 2020 event cancellations in heartfelt statement

Bassnectar (real name Lorin Ashton) is a consequential figure of the bass music world. He sets the bar high with his music, his ideas are ones that many artists aspire towards, and his voice is powerful when he speaks up. In other words, people listen. Ashton and his team entered 2020 with grand plans with his seasonal curated event, including Freestyle Sessions in June, the Be Interactive 808 fundraiser in August, and BassCenter XIII in September. Excitement for the year was loading up like a freight train, but the recent spread of the Coronavirus has brought all of these to a grinding halt.

Today, April 30, Ashton announced the cancellations of all three events today in a lengthy, passionate statement that is creating positive ripples across his far-reaching fanbase.

“It is with intense respect and appreciation for our community as a whole and for each of you as individuals that today we have made the difficult decision to cancel all of our previously confirmed special events for 2020,” Bassnectar wrote in his public statement. “Not only does it appear impossible that these events will be able to happen as planned, but also: we want to do what is best for you!”

In the announcement, he touched on the future of Bassnectar events, stating that they’re looking forward to the end of this year (likely after November, he specifies) and to 2021 to get things moving again. Additionally, his plans for his Lockdown Mixtape series are still going strong, with many more to come for as long as the pandemic endures, as well as his upcoming album release. And lastly, he encourages his fans to pay attention to the current social climate with an open mind, as the decisions we make in leadership are more important than ever before.

“Stop thinking about politics,” Ashton continues. “[S]top thinking about whose side you are on. Stop thinking about whose side other people are on. Realize that there are no ‘sides’ in this game at the end and everyone on this planet is on the same team at the end of the day. If you aren’t fighting for all, then you aren’t in the right fight. We encourage you instead to just center in on: WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU? What do YOU believe in, and what do you know is right?”

While many are heartbroken at the news, it is impossible to not respect Bassnectar and his team for caring so deeply about fans and making so much of an effort to do what’s best for them. It’s another blow in an increasing series of bad news, but they shine the light at the end of the tunnel and truly reinforce the idea of community. For those with tickets, refunds will begin rolling out automatically for all events with in the next thirty days. Read the full statement below.

Featured photo: Ryan Buller.