Bands pull out of 'anti-EU' music festival after learning organisers are pro-Brexit

Headliners Sigma have dropped themselves from the festival's bill after stating they "are in no way supporting the event"

Sigma have pulled out of Bpoplive after becoming aware the event is staged with the support of pro-Brexit campaign group Leave.EU. (Getty)

Musicians booked to play the UK's first ever anti-European Union musical festival have pulled out, after learning the event is organised by pro-Brexit campaign group, Leave.EU.

A press release for Bpoplive announced the event will feature "some of Britain's hottest artists as well as speeches from leading personalities and politicians who support leaving the EU", making the event "the first of its kind in the UK". Yet, when Buzzfeed News reached out to several of the artists billed, they claimed they were entirely unaware the event was backed by Leave.EU., which in turn is founded by UKIP's biggest donor, Arron Banks.

A spokesperson for the event's headliners, drum'n'bass act Sigma, stated they "are in no way supporting the event"; with the band shortly pulling out of the festival. The event's other headliners, Electric Swing Circus, also replied to requests for comment; member Tom Hyland underlined that the band "are not pro-Brexit" and that, though they're not unanimous in their stance, "as a group we are generally pro-EU".

Garage duo DJ Luck and MC Neat appear not to have been informed of the event's political backing, with their spokesperson commenting; "I didn't even know it was about that to be honest". He furthered that he would be discussing the issue with the act, though they are still on the event's bill as of now.

The only other confirmed act, Phats & Small, is yet to comment on the situation; rumours that Pixie Lott would be added to the bill are, according to her publicist, unfounded.

Bpoplive is set to take place on 8 May at the 15,000-capacity Genting Arena in Birmingham, with tickets set at £20. Leave.EU has yet to respond to a request for comment; though a spokesperson told Buzzfeed the event was not anti-EU in nature but was being staged to encourage younger people to register to vote, regardless of their political affliliation.

In regards to the anti-EU promotional material included; "That was misbriefed. There was a miscommunication between us and the people putting it on. You’ve got the wrong end of the stick. The idea came from a thing in the states organised by MTV called Rock the Vote, with the message in between the acts, in the same way the BBC does Children in Need."