Liverpool's Cavern Club has confirmed the cancellation of Ian McNabb's upcoming December gigs, following controversy over the singer's social media posts supporting Russell Brand. The Mossley Hill-born musician had been scheduled to perform two shows at the venue on Sunday, December 6, one at 2pm and another at 7.30pm.
The ECHO reported that McNabb has seen several of his 2026 tour dates cancelled after a now-deleted Facebook post in support of Brand. Shows at Newcastle Upon Tyne's The Cluny, Glasgow's Cotters Theatre, and Derby's The Flowerpot, among other UK cities, have all been confirmed as cancelled.
Cavern Club Spokesperson Confirms Cancellation
On Thursday, November 12, a spokesperson for the Cavern Club confirmed that McNabb's December gigs would no longer go ahead. The shows had been appearing as cancelled on ticket booking pages the previous day.
The cancellations follow Brand being found guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault last week. McNabb's deleted Facebook post read: "Russell Brand is being stitched up for his outspoken views. He got close to the target, and he has a big audience. I know people who were in his orbit, and girls were throwing themselves at him every night. If that happened to me, I know what I would do."
"Yer pays yer money, yer takes yer chance. If you want to hang out with the artist, don’t cry when you’re in the picture. All these chicks who turn up at these situations know exactly what’s going on. The ones who decided they were done badly to - ten years after the event - are the worst."
Promoters Drop McNabb from Schedules
Promoters for McNabb's upcoming shows have removed him from their schedules. Edinburgh-based music promoters Renegade Communications announced they would be cancelling their shows with him in reaction to the post.
McNabb began his career on the club scene in the 1970s before co-founding the Icicle Works in 1980. The band's biggest hit, Love is a Wonderful Colour, reached number 15 in 1983.
After receiving significant backlash, McNabb's account shared a follow-up post on Facebook, which has also been deleted. The post read: "It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness and regret that I make this post. I have been CANCELLED and therefore all of my shows for the future have also. This is as a result of a post I made about the plight of British comedian/entertainer Russell Brand…"
"I condemned the treatment of Brand, who I feel has been railroaded and treated unfairly. I have committed no crime to my knowledge but understand the upset I have caused."
"Many of you will know I am aligned with a few of the subjects Brand rallied against and agreed with him on *some* things, including Big Pharma and the Military Industrial Complex. When he turned on the Epstein Class, his fate was sealed. I fail to understand how many who have done much worse offences continue to roam free without consequence."
McNabb's Apology and Reflection
"I condemn the treatment of women for sexual pleasure that is not consensual, I condemn the predatory nature of males who do so. Sorry to those who have bought tickets and feel let down, I now enter a period of self-reflection and contemplation. I hope to see you again in the coming years, as I know I haven’t long to do this, I am grateful for the support from loyal fans."
