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Muse postpone Turkish concert amid protests

Muse have postponed their show in Istanbul, Türkiye, after the boss of promoter DBL Entertainment criticised anti-government protesters.

The British trio had announced a performance at Festival Park Yenikapı on 11 June, but say the gig will now go ahead next year with a different promoter.

“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,” says a statement posted to the band’s social channels.

The move follows a backlash over comments by DBL chief Abdulkadir Özkan, who slammed the actions of some protesters – who have taken to the streets after the arrest of Istanbul’s opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges – as an “act of treason”.

The protesters allege Imamoglu’s arrest is a political move by president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Posting on X, Özkan wrote: “Plain and simple, this is hostility towards the capital,” but has since attempted to clarify his comments. He adds that he is taking legal action “against those responsible for defamation, incitement, unfair competition, and economic interference”.

In a statement released to IQ by the promoter’s legal counsel, Özkan says he made it clear that his remarks were aimed at “a small group of violent provocateurs and that peaceful protest is a fundamental constitutional right”. He went on to add that “while protest is vital, violence under its cover is not”.

“For years, DBL Entertainment has operated independently to bring some of the most iconic artists in the world to Türkiye”

Furthermore, Özkan says he has been subject to a “sustained campaign of disinformation and coordinated attacks” that have caused “millions of material and measurable damages, ranging from concert cancellations to reputational injury”.

“Let’s be clear: For years, his company, DBL Entertainment has operated independently – without political or government support – to bring some of the most iconic artists in the world to Türkiye,” it continues. “And yet, Mr. Özkan’s has been targeted in ways that defy both common sense and the law.

“We are actively pursuing all legal remedies available under Turkish and international law. More proceedings are imminent against anyone engaged in unlawful conduct, including contractual breaches, malicious misrepresentations, and coordinated defamation.

“Our clients have invested years in building a business that brings cultural events to Türkiye and supports a wide ecosystem of creative and technical professionals. That work will not be sacrificed to bad-faith campaigns or opportunistic misinformation.”

Nearly 2,000 people – many of them students – have been detained by police since 19 March. Turkish Minute reports the announcement of the Muse concert cancellation came on a nationwide “no-buy” day called by Turkey’s main opposition leader Özgür Özel, who encouraged citizens to halt purchases at supermarkets, restaurants, gas stations and online platforms in protest at the mass detention.

Ane Brun and Trevor Noah also joined the boycott and pulled their shows, while Robbie Williams has faced calls to axe his 7 October concert in Istanbul.

 


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IQ 134 out now: Gracie Abrams, Gary Howard…

IQ 134, the latest issue of the international live music industry’s leading magazine, is available to read online now.

In the April 2025 issue, Gordon Masson chats with UTA agent and undisputed king of pop Gary Howard about his 35 years in the music business.

Elsewhere, Hanna Ellington talks to the architects behind Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us trek about the pop star’s unstoppable trajectory while DJ Mag editor Carl Loben unpacks the Electronic Music Report 2025.

As prospects for Türkiye’s live music industry grow, Adam Woods looks into the country’s challenges and opportunities. Meanwhile, Derek Robertson dives into the cutting-edge innovations, logistical challenges, and the fierce competition defining the high-stakes video and screens business.

One month after ILMC, this issue looks back on some of the sessions, highlights, and nautically themed shenanigans that took place during the 37th instalment.

For comments and columns, Lloyds Private Bank’s Etiksha Patel outlines five key banking tips for touring artists and Black Lives in Music founder Dr Charisse Beaumont discusses over-policing and licensing bias at Black and ethically diverse events.

A selection of magazine content will appear online in the next four weeks but to ensure your fix of essential live music industry features, opinion and analysis, click here to subscribe to IQ – or check out what you’re missing out on with the limited preview below:

 

 


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LGBTIQ+ List 2024: Buğra Davaslıgil, Charmenko

The LGBTIQ+ List 2024 – IQ Magazine’s fourth annual celebration of queer professionals who make an immense impact in the international live music business – has been revealed.

The ever-popular list is the centrepiece of IQ’s fourth Pride edition, sponsored by Ticketmaster, which is now available to read online and in print for subscribers.

To get to know this year’s queer pioneers a little better, we interviewed each of them on the development of the industry, the challenges that are keeping them up at night and more.

Throughout the next month, IQ will publish a new interview each day. Catch up on yesterday’s interview with Ary Maudit (they/them), a multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer at Strongroom Studio/Saffron Records in the UK.

The series continues with Buğra Davaslıgil (he/they), a senior booker and talent buyer at Charmenko in Türkiye.


Born and bred in İstanbul, Buğra has lived in Türkiye’s largest city all his life except for a two-year period spent in London as an au pair. Though they spent two years as an architect after earning a Bachelor’s degree from İstanbul Technical University, Buğra returned from London determined to pave their way in the music industry. He was inspired after various freelance opportunities and a stint at Kod Müzik, and has now worked at Charmenko since 2006.

Tell us about the professional feat you’re most PROUD of in 2024 so far.
Having booked The Smile to perform in the Baltic States, Poland, Czechia, former Yugoslavia, Romania and Bulgaria.

Tell us about the challenges of living in a country ruled by an anti-LGBTIQ+ government.
Although homosexuality has never been illegal in Türkiye — it has not been illegal since 1858 so even during the Ottoman Empire period – the predecessor of the modern-day Republic of Türkiye — and gender reassignment surgery has been legal since 1988 and we do have lots of queer NGOs, university clubs and activists, an anti-LGBTIQ+, the government wants it all to be kept under the rug and doesn’t want you to take it as an identity and be seen out and loud. It doesn’t do anything to give you the legal rights to be protected from any kind of discrimination, abuse or harassment; therefore it is a struggle in all forms (social, economic and sometimes even life-threatening), and only way is the local as well as the global solidarity and do not let those lose your hope for an equal and brighter future.

“I am optimistic that [new leadership] might bring a wind of change, and we could have more support and freedom from the cities in cultural life”

Pride events and marches have long been banned, how do you tend to celebrate Pride month?
We do celebrate Pride month with queer parties, picnics, gatherings, panels and film screenings, and even do our own guerrilla Pride Parade. The parade is declared by the Istanbul Pride March Organising Committee to be on a specific street, but it actually takes place on another street so that the cops cannot interfere as they aren’t aware of the location change.

What are the current challenges in Türkiye’s live music business?
The economic crisis in Türkiye: very high inflation and Turkish Lira’s weakness against foreign currencies.

How do you see the country’s business developing in the next few years?
Since we have just had the local elections at the end of March and the opposition party CHP (The Republican People’s Party; social democrats) have won a majority of the cities and become the leading party in Türkiye, I am optimistic that it might bring a wind of change and we could have more support and freedom from the cities in cultural life.

“We still have a lot to go to support, especially non-binary and trans rights”

Name one thing the industry could do to be a more equitable place.
I would say please stop the ‘orientalism’ and try to be more inclusive in gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity. And please do mean it, and not just tick the box.

Do you have a favourite queer space?
I have a favourite party called ‘Dudakların Cengi’ where all local drag performers take the stage in İstanbul.

Shout out any LGBTIQ+ cause(s) you support.
I believe we still have a lot to go to support, especially non-binary and trans rights.

 


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