Several bands withdrew from Shell Shock II after organizers announced Kyle Rittenhouse as a VIP guest. Headliner Evergreen Terrace said it would not align with an event promoting him and cited other associated entities; Southpaw and Let Me Bleed also explained their withdrawals in public statements. American Hollow was reported to have left the bill, though contemporaneous coverage did not provide a comparable detailed statement from the band.
What happened at Shell Shock II?
Shell Shock II was scheduled for October 19, 2024, at Level 13 Event Center in Orlando, Florida. Promoted as a benefit and awareness event supporting first responders, including people dealing with PTSD, it drew controversy after organizers announced Rittenhouse as a VIP guest.
Evergreen Terrace, which had been scheduled to headline, withdrew in late September. Coverage in early October reported that Southpaw, Let Me Bleed, and American Hollow had also left the lineup. The event named Slipknot tribute act SiC as its replacement headliner. These were reported lineup changes before the scheduled date, not confirmation of what ultimately happened at the event.
Why did the bands say they were leaving?
Evergreen Terrace
Evergreen Terrace said it had not done due diligence before accepting the booking. The band said that even after organizers offered to remove Rittenhouse from the event, it found other associated entities it disagreed with. It said it would not align itself with an event promoting him. Loudwire and ThePRP reported the withdrawal and the band’s explanation.
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Southpaw
Southpaw said it had understood the booking to be for a veteran-focused event and did not know a particular individual would be a main focus until after agreeing to play. The band said, “This simply is not what we signed up for, period.” Exclaim! reported the statement.
Let Me Bleed
Let Me Bleed said it withdrew after learning that invited VIP guests would attend whom the band did not align with or want to be associated with. It also said those guests were used to market the show after the band had agreed to play. Exclaim! covered the band’s explanation.
American Hollow
Contemporaneous reports named American Hollow among the bands that left the bill, but did not provide an equivalent detailed statement from the band. Its specific reason should therefore not be inferred from the other bands’ explanations. The Independent reported the departures.
How did the promoter respond?
The Antihero Podcast, identified in coverage as the festival’s organizing entity, framed the backlash as ideological. In a statement reproduced by Exclaim! and The Independent, it said: “The liberal mob attempted to destroy Shell Shock. But we will not allow it. This is now about more than a concert. This is a war of ideology.” That was the promoter’s characterization; it is distinct from the reasons the bands gave for their own decisions.
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What is known about Rittenhouse’s legal case and the event’s outcome?
The Independent reported that Rittenhouse fatally shot two people and injured a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 2020. He claimed self-defense and was acquitted of all charges. That legal outcome is separate from the political and moral judgments expressed by bands or organizers.
The festival was advertised as supporting first responders and PTSD-related causes, but the contemporaneous coverage cited here does not establish whether Shell Shock II ultimately took place, what its final lineup or attendance was, or whether it raised or distributed money.
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