Formerly Viet Cong

The Canadian band formerly known as Viet Cong played the Doug Fir on Tuesday night amid online criticism and picketing protesters. Over the last three months (when Viet Cong was here last to play Pickathon) the band has been under heavier and heavier media fire for their inability to defend their choice of band name and a perceived insensitivity to conversations presented by Vietnamese groups and individuals wanting to discuss the issue. The debate has many sides and stories that have been articulated well elsewhere, and in September the band posted an announcement on their Facebook page announcing their plans to drop the name.

Protesters Calling for the Doug Fir to Cancel the Show
  • Katie Summer
  • Protesters calling for the Doug Fir to cancel the show

Protesters outside the Doug Fir on Tuesday night seemed to be organized primarily by people who had protested their Seattle show at Neumos last week. One woman I spoke with said she had only heard about the controversy recently through a student network called the Union of North American Vietnamese Student Associations, and saw the protest as a platform for discussion of cultural competency and integration of minority groups into the mainstream Portland culture and community. The protest in Portland was fairly short, lasting about two hours and disbanded by the time the band took the stage. Their full request, including canceling the show and an apology from the band, was listed on handouts and fliers, and can be seen here.

More images from the protest and the show after the jump.

The Doug Fir did not issue a statement about the protest, but there was a noticeable absence of the name “Viet Cong” anywhere at the venue: not listed on the marquee or on posters, and the website billed the show as “the band formerly known as Viet Cong,” and the time sheet for the evening listed “headliner” in its place. The band was also not selling any merch, which is something they promised at the Seattle show protest.

Signage Used by the Venue

The crowd at that evening’s show was somewhat homogenous and not packed, but maybe no different from any other weeknight post-punk show in Portland. Grave Babies, a Sub Pop-affiliated band with a name that could also hold a certain level of distaste, played first and was wholly unmemorable. To my ears, they sounded too much like Alice In Chains but with worse vocals. Musically, the headlining band with no name played a short (not out of place for a band with only 14 released songs) but entirely evocative set. They presented the performance with a simple “Thank you for coming,” and after a winding and passionate playing of their 12-minute song “Death,” they didn’t return to the stage for an encore. I’m interested in following their evolution as a band, in growth and learning, because they are blatantly talented and experiencing them play live is experiencing art.

Formerly Viet Cong

Lots more photos from the show and protest below.

Protesters at the Venue
Protesters at the Venue
Protesters at the Venue
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong
Formerly Viet Cong

11 replies on “The Band Formerly Known as Viet Cong at Doug Fir, Tues Oct 20”

  1. “…in September the band posted an announcement on their Facebook page announcing their plans to drop the name.” and they still have not done it. They are not “formally know as…” since they have not changed their name and continue to tour under this name thus the protest.

  5. What a load of wasted energy. Go help your community instead of chasing outrage butterflies. It’s okay to be offended sometimes, you know. It’s part of life.

  7. LOL White people get LIT when they don’t understand why POC are mad. And that’s all the time. “I go to Best Baguette all the time, I’m not racist!”

  11. Could be worse, they could’ve named the band ARVN. Now that would’ve been really embarrassing.

    BTW Scotty Boy, based on the pace your comments are degenerating, I suspect you’re next comment will be typed out to spell monosyllabic grunts.

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