Festival headlined by Bob Vylan could undergo licence review ahead of event
Shindig Festival, a music event set to feature punk duo Bob Vylan as its headliner, is now facing the possibility of having its licence reviewed just days before the festivities are due to kick off next month.
The festival taking place at Charlton Park, near Malmesbury in Wiltshire, is currently set to run from May 21st until May 24th. However, this is now potentially up in the air, and on May 18th, its premises licence are set to be reconsidered.
This is in light of concerns that were raised about “disorder and public safety”, in relation to headline act Bob Vylan.
A spokesperson for Shindig has since shared with the BBC that it is working closely with “the artist and the authorities” to ensure it has a “robust plan in place to address these concerns”.
Last summer, the pair found themselves in the middle of a media storm after frontman Bobby Vylan led the crowd in attendance at their Glastonbury Festival through a chant of, “Death, death to the IDF.”
As a result of their performance, Bob Vylan were the subject of a criminal investigation by Avon and Somerset Police, and were pulled from several booked gigs. However, the police force subsequently announced in December that all charges had been dropped and no further action would be taken.
Upon announcing the act in February, Shindig Festival showed full support for Bob Vylan, stating that they believed “art should challenge as well as unite“.
Organisers said the band was “one of the most vital, fearless and electrifying live acts in the UK right now” and that it had a reputation “for using music as a force for conversation and change”. Subsequently, a licence was granted by Wiltshire Council in 2025.
Wiltshire councillor Paul Sample did not reveal who made the application for a premises licence review; any member of the general public is free to do so.
Instead, he shared a rather tight-lipped statement on the proceedings from here, stating, “As the matter will be considered by an independent licensing sub‑committee, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the details of the application at this stage.”
Other acts set to perform at Shindig include Fat Dog, War, Joshua Idehen, and Snapped Ankles.
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