A Seattle Deerhunter concert was interrupted last Saturday evening after frontman Bradford Cox was accosted by an audience member who accused him of cultural appropriation.
The band were playing at Showbox Seattle when an audience member began heckling Cox, accusing him of appropriating Native American culture.
Another audience member, Daniela B, explained the scenario in an interview with Stereogum. “During the set, Bradford Cox started a dialogue with a heckler accusing him of cultural appropriation because he said he’s a huge fan of Twin Peaks, and he said was planning on staying in North Bend at the Salish Lodge that night so that he could explore Snoqualmie the next day.”
Footage has emerged of the altercation, in the video, Cox invites the heckler to the front of the stage so that she can elaborate on her accusations.
“You’re appropriating Snoqualmie culture,” she stated. Cox then asked her to explain, “Is there something about North Bend that I should know? I’d like to hear it.”
A request that the audience member denies, “why should I, as a person of colour, have to tell you about it?” she asks. “So that I can empathize and relate to your point,” Cox responds.
“Ideas are traded between cultures through communication, not by insulting and yelling ‘fuck you’ at people,” Cox says. “I have been marginalized my entire fucking life…marginalized by heteronormative culture, marginalized by socioeconomic situations, marginalized by being differently-abled.”
“What is your assumption about my life that makes you think that I am somehow privileged or I represent someone appropriating your culture? I believe that you have a very good point that you’re not going to share with me out of arrogance.”
“You obviously as a white person, male,” she begins. To which Cox quickly interjected with, “Did you just call me male? I don’t even know that you can assume my gender, my friend.”
You can watch the altercation below.
Watch: Bradford Cox engage in a dialogue with heckler during Deerhunter show
