Avondale Brewery cancels Ted Nugent concert after public criticism

The cancellation comes a day after Tread's reporting on an LGBTQ bar's beer boycott of the business

Avondale Brewery in Birmingham has canceled a scheduled concert featuring transphobic musician Ted Nugent.

The announcement comes a day after Tread’s exclusive reporting that Al’s on Seventh, an LGBTQ bar in Birmingham, would boycott alcohol from Avondale Brewery over Nugent’s concert.

“We have heard the concerns of the Avondale community, which is so important to us,” the venue announced on its social media page. “And in conjunction with our partners, we have taken the necessary steps to cancel the Ted Nugent concert scheduled for July 18.”

A day earlier, Michael Sellers, a co-owner of Avondale Brewery, had referred all questions about the issue to Red Mountain Entertainment, the promoter who scheduled the Nugent concert at Sellers’ Avondale venue.

“Avondale Brewery is a venue and does not schedule or promote larger shows at Avondale Brewery,” Sellers said Wednesday. “I’ll direct you to Red Mountain Entertainment with any questions.  Red Mountain Entertainment is the exclusive promoter for the venue.”

Sellers would not answer further questions about the boycott or condemn Nugent’s comments, and Red Mountain Entertainment never responded to requests for comment.

A day later, the concert has been canceled.

Nugent had garnered widespread criticism in recent weeks after claiming that transgender people “don’t exist.”

Mark Cummings, who owns Al’s on Seventh, had told Tread he planned to boycott beer from Avondale Brewery and associated Good People Brewing over the scheduled concert.

“It’s hurtful that these businesses would do this,” Cummings said of Avondale and Good People at the time. “If they’re going to allow someone who speaks so openly against our community, then I can’t financially support them and allow my customers to purchase their products.”

Cummings said the announcement by Avondale Brewery is a welcome development.

“It's a great day. I'm glad the people at Avondale are doing what's right,” Cummings told Tread. “They said loud and clear that hate doesn't have a home there, and I'm proud of them!”

Tread reached out to Ted Nugent for comment. We haven’t yet heard back.

A Progress Pride flag flies over Al’s on Seventh (Photo by Lee Hedgepeth)