Punk Band NOFX Tells Vegas Audience ‘At Least’ Massacre Victims Were ‘Country Fans’

Punk band NOFX shocked fans in Las Vegas Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival Sunday night, joking about the Las Vegas mass shooting that left more than 50 people dead and hundreds injured.

“I guess you only get shot in Vegas if you’re in a country band,” NOFX’s guitarist, Eric Melvin, cracked during the band’s set at the Las Vegas Events Center in the city’s downtown district.

“At least they were country fans and not punk rock fans,” replied the band’s frontman, bassist “Fat Mike” Burnett.

NOFX thought it would be “hilarious” to joke about the October 1 shootings while on stage in Las Vegas. They said “at least they were country fans and not punk rock fans”. This is disgusting and callous. We will never support anything involving this band ever again. pic.twitter.com/am3R8QJIE6

— Dave and Mahoney (@DaveAndMahoney) May 30, 2018

The quips left the audience aghast, and quickly earned blowback from Las Vegas residents, many of whom knew people killed in the October 1 attack on the Route 91 Harvest Festival.

NOFX eventually apologized on Thursday.

I can’t sleep, no one in my band can. What we said in Vegas was shitty and insensitive and we are all embarrassed by our remarks. So we decided we will all get together to discuss and write an in depth, sincere, and honest apology because that’s what the people we offended and hurt deserve.

The band’s primary sponsor, San Diego-based brewery, Stone Brewing Company, pulled their money and distanced themselves from the band, and dropped their sponsorship of NOFX’s own music festival, Punk In Drublic, according to Pitchfork. Stone says they’ll be donating the profits they’ve made from their affiliation with NOFX to a victims and survivors fund.

This isn’t the first time NOFX has attacked members of their own fan base. “Fat Mike” tweets regularly about how much he hates President Donald Trump, and even has his own line of anti-Trump tee shirts.