Muse postpone Istanbul concert following DBL boycott pressure from fans
Muse have postponed their scheduled performance in Istanbul, Turkey, following pressure from fans to boycott DBL Entertainment.
The rock trio only announced the performance earlier this week, which was set to take place on June 11th, following tickets going on sale on April 3rd. However, Muse have now cancelled their plans but revealed they will instead return to Istanbul in 2026 and promised to work with a different promoter.
Abdulkadir Ozkan, who owns DBL Entertainment, recently condemned Turkish citizens who have been gathering in the streets to make their voices heard in protest against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the arrest of his political rival Ekrem Imamoglu.
Protestors have targeted firms with connections to the Erdogan regime, such as the chain of EspressoLab coffee houses. In response to the protest, Ozkan labelled their actions “treason.” He later backtracked, claiming his words were “taken out of context” and he didn’t intend to condemn “young people exercising their democratic right to protest.”
Close to 2,000 protestors have been arrested since March 19th. As a result, notable figures in Turkish entertainment, such as Berna Lacin and Gaye Su Akyol, encouraged Muse and Robbie Williams to cancel their performances with DBL Entertainment.
Now, Muse shared on X: “After careful consideration and hearing the feedback from our fans whilst fully respecting their concerns, our show in Istanbul will be now postponed until 2026 so we can ensure DBL Entertainment will not be involved.”
Muse concluded by looking ahead to their return to Turkey next year, adding, “Thank you for your ongoing support, it means everything to us. See you in 2026!”
Comedian Trevor Noah has also cancelled a performance in Istanbul which was set to take place on April 23rd, but hasn’t released a statement explaining his decision.
As it stands, Robbie Williams is still scheduled to perform in Istanbul on October 7th, 2025.
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