Last night at the Matador Music Festival in Santa Barbara, California, Porter Robinson was cut short during his set by city police. Scheduled to play through 11:30 pm, the police interrupted the event at 11:00 pm and asked Porter to stop playing which, Porter did not heed. He was right in the middle of playing his monster tune, Language, and instead of stopping, he decided to finish the song. The police cut the power and accused Porter of “inciting a riot” and was nearly arrested for failing to comply. Porter later updated his twitter feed on the full story of what happened:
the cops cut me 35 minutes short and shut down this show halfway through language. really sorry to everyone to paid to see this show.
— porter robinson (@porterrobinson) April 28, 2013
i got on the mic and said “guys, the cops are shutting us down in 5 minutes. gonna play language. don’t get mad, stay positive.”
— porter robinson (@porterrobinson) April 28, 2013
the cops cut the power two minutes after that, claiming that i was ‘inciting a riot’ by explaining the situation to the crowd.
— porter robinson (@porterrobinson) April 28, 2013
the sheriff told me he was going to arrest me and seize all of my equipment ‘as evidence’. vindictive tyrant is embarrassed about the truth.
— porter robinson (@porterrobinson) April 28, 2013
UPDATE: We are now getting reports that the cops arrived to respond to a noise complaint filed by surrounding neighbors. We will keep you updated as we get the concrete facts.
Below is a video from the crowd which features the moment when the power was cut during Porter’s set. The exact time in the video is from 3:16 until the end. Although this is not much to go on, we will make sure to update as more information becomes readily available.
-Nick Ward @NickWard20
Like we all know, MURICA killing the electronic scene.
OMG!
‘Muricah!
Wow. Those cops needed to chill out, seriously. They should know Porter Robinson wouldn’t start a riot.
They’re just intimidating by your amazing music you produce. So disrespectful how they treated you – I really hope everyone understood the situation.
Ignorance is Bliss
Hire a very good lawyer and sue,impky
Why were the police there in the first place? What brought them there?
CRAZAY!
LANGUAGE WILL MAKE ANYONE GO CRAZY!
What brings cops to any edm party or event? They think its where they can cleanup real nice and bust alot of drug dealers, and they are probably right! Sure does make it sucky for the people just there for the music =/
Noise complaint about a music festival? I don’t even…
I wonder if the same cops would have cut the power off to their own Nirvana concert back when they were young…
I wonder if the same cops would have cut the power off to their own Nirvana concert back when they were young…
Nice one coppers. Those who didn’t know who Porter is , now does. You can’t buy that advertising.
Nice one coppers. Those who didn’t know who Porter is , now does. You can’t buy that advertising.
LOL
Stupid americans!
They should be sued for slander
literally am taking the time to look him up on spotify now…
rioting is the last thing that I want to do when I listen to language.
damn pigs
I second, this is bullshit!
What happened to noise until 11? Though this was pretty standard, but I guess people that don’t like to have fun decided it was 9. You don’t like the sound? Move to a state where they play the noise you enjoy hearing, assholes.
He’s great… check out Spitfire. That bit right after the intro is sick mate
Same thing for people complaining about bad smell about a food festival. This is a complete nonsense.
Guess that neighbourhood’s expecting everyone wearing headphones in a concert
Does everyone commenting about how dumb americans are realize that Porter Robinson is from the USA..
This is pretty angering! If you live near music festival grounds, then you know what to expect. Especially with a concert driving artist like Porter Robinson!
Quite common in NZ. People move in to an area surrounding a place where there have been festivals for years, then they ring the noise control and complain about the noise. Dickheads
Cops are true pieces of shit who have power lmao smh fuck em!
http://bit.ly/Va82an
^this this this
Musical racism. this would never happen to a hip hop artist or a famous singer.
…idiot humanity is idiot…
we had that up here in Minneapolis for one of the stages. it was pretty dope
Californian police are such fucking twats this is really no surprise.
I officially have a problem with the police. Fuck them , for being so rude and cutting off a show and an amazing song.No Respect.. Fuck the police FTSFTSFTSFTSFTSFTSFTS FUCK THE SYSTEM!
True, but pigs don’t listen to nirvana, no fukkin way. Don’t compare the two, it makes me sick lol
What’s Nirvana?
you are gonna have to repeat that… and make sense this time.
They want to be mean uncle dick and pull the plug out right during a song. You can’t just do that! PORTER ROBINSON IS THE SHIT FOR NOT COMPLYING! I HOPE I WOULDn’t HAVE EITHER!
right. We just don’t call it a “riot”, is all.
It’s happening more often than you think in the US.
Lotus Revolt You mean the “pigs” that are doing their jobs just like your dad is probably doing his? Or do you mean the true “pigs” that gave the original order?
Anyone knows the lyrics of The State? Yeah, exactly…
Not cool man
What I don’t get is why people live next to The Earl Warren Showgrounds and make noise complaints, they have concerts there all the time, I saw Adventure club and crizzly there and there was no problems with cops and noise complaints.
What I don’t get is why people live next to The Earl Warren Showgrounds and make noise complaints, they have concerts there all the time, I saw Adventure club and crizzly there and there was no problems with cops and noise complaints.
WHY
Its cool of the police to just first thing shut the music off? I would of made durr just like porter it was definitely going to have to happen. Musix isnt noise pollution. Police state merica miltarize the sherf lulz
I guess the police just don’t understand our language ;P.
haha so true!
Wow, the music is SUCH a problem. People having a funtime, good vibes. Noise complaint sounds fishy. This whole situation is just plain dumb. Sorry Porter, Sorry music lovers.
Nicholas Entz : Does everyone commenting about “how dumb Americans are”, realize that Porter Robinson is from the USA…?
what doesn’t make sense about that?
this has def happened to me before…. THANK THE LORD FOR IV FOOT PATROL.
Noise complaint? Bullshit
oh dont mind him, he is just trying to be funny and get some likes on his comment..
what song is this by porter?
good, that tune sounded shite anyway.
just isn’t DnB, know what I mean?
then being smartest is the hardest
you argument is literally the oldest form of being wrong ever. Your saying that most cops would jump if told to jump off a bridge, that they are blind followers of a system. so please don’t protect cops in any way ever please. They are solely here to suppress the population even if that is not the individuals intent.
Idolo Porter <3.
lol a cop isnt allowed to listen to nirvana and all cops are followers of our government system and have no free will? haha you guys probably just have fucked up too much in your lives and blame the cops for trying to set you straight. chill out umad
I don’t think you understand what slander is.
Language
do u even MURICA?
Lotus Revolt , I have plenty of “pig” friends, all of which would love to hear Nirvana.
this is ridiculous…… tht was music festival…. and wat abt event manager organizer…where the fuck them at..
If they want silence and void instead of the sound and colors and life, maybe they should consider the alternative…buzzkills…
Pijanec Tomislav Nope he means PIGS that over glorify their job as a PUBLIC SERVANT.
Maybe so…but like getting stopped mid-orgasm its surely gonna incite some wrath
Lots of cops are good peoples…but i’m sure the Gestapo had a few sweethearts in its ranks from time to time too…but cmon lets get real here..the minute any music scene starts respecting authority too much, is the minute it loses it’s purpose lies down and dies.
FUCK THE POLICE! CAN’T FIGHT REAL CRIME SO THEY STOP THE PARTY THEY CAN’T ENJOY! FUCK THEM!
Americans aren’t Americans without a sense of self-hatred!
Americans aren’t Americans without a sense of self-hatred!
I was peaking during that song.
🙁
cops are low lifes if they cant have fun they got to ruin everyone elses fun… that’s just how snitches are programmed these days.
speaking of snitches… lol
how did I NOT know about this festival.. and that is crap.
how did I NOT know about this festival.. and that is crap.
^ Has never been here…because he’d get his face stomped even worse than his profile picture depicts it…
thats what happens when you have a bunch of old conservative fucks living around the area who can’t appreciate the feelings and freedoms of music, they SHOULD’VE STARTED A RIOT!!!! Next music festival, DO IT!!! #RIOTFORMUSIC
That’s Bullshit, I would of been soo pissed if I was there.
@Nicholas Entz: People are commenting on this article claiming america is “killing the edm scene” and what not, on an article about an amazing american DJ who is also being backed up by everyone. Do you need me to sound out the words for you too?
That is so true he should be put in jail for that
what would make me want to riot though is having language cutoff right before the chorus
at 2:22 it sounds like those dragons from the lord of the rings are right there!
Doesn’t matter where he’s from; we’re talking about America as a country, not as an individual from it.
HOLY CRAP! THIS IS MY VIDEO! XDDDDD
seirously
Cutting off the power is more likely to cause a riot since music=love, no music=no love=RIOT TIME!
Yours isn’t much better champ…
Pihanec, Their job is to keep the peace and protect the common good, Shutting him off in the middle of the song is just a show of power… actually a clear abuse of power… Interesting some of the types attracted to becoming an officer.
Who riots to Language.. seriously?
Cops be hatin’
Oh, yeah this is the article I read I didn’t know it was your video
an individual cut the power on the stage; not the entire country.
an individual cut the power on the stage; not the entire country.
A.C.A.B.
I have a better quality video
Bacon.r
Bobby and Dominic both good points. But as a world famous dj think porter intended to play language the whole way through though, that would’ve pacified the crowd for sure. The fuzz made the bright decision of drop blocking haha.
How dare they cut the power through a truly amazing song like Language… F**k the police.
What is unknown to our generation, is that riots commonly broke out at Grateful Dead shows. These riots are what kept the music going.
seen plenty of parties shutdown in my time but the one that stands out the most was the chemical bros being shut down midset at tangeirne in revere. the place was totally peaking when the plug got pulled.
this is stupid. edm music is dying in America bc this.
soo…a noise complaint at a Porter Robisnon concert….then they arrested him for starting a riot? a riot….at a house music concert…i don’t even…
That shit wouldn’t happen in LA my niggas.
Lol. Every major riot of the past 20 years has been in los Angeles.
Lakers lost. Riot!!!!!!
lol not like that tho
lol. Tazer Tom…
lol
fuck those little piggies. I think we can all get behind something and that is these police officers! lets fuck em in the ass!