Chef’Special with lead singer Joshua Nolet during the Back To Live pop festival in March
Prince Bernhard has asked the band Chef’special to perform for free during Formula 1 in Zandvoort. That’s what singer Joshua Nolet said in a video on social media. He is displeased with that request.
In the video, Nolet lashes out at the decision of the outgoing cabinet not to allow multi-day festivals until at least September 1. “It was for all of us – the band, the crew, all the colleagues – very shitty that all festivals disappeared like snow in the sun in September,” says Nolet. The singer of the popular band calls it painful that there was no response from The Hague to the protest action ‘Unmute Us’ by the entertainment industry.
Chef’special would have been asked by Prince Bernhard, co-owner of the Circuit Zandvoort, to come and perform for free during Formula 1 at the beginning of September. Nolet: “They had exactly zero euros for Chef’special. However, a few VIP tickets maybe. VIP tickets – who cares?”
The Dutch Grand Prix, organizer of the Formula 1 race in Zandvoort, has not yet responded to the video.
In the video, Nolet says he doesn’t want Formula 1 bashing, but is angry about “how musicians are looked at”. He thinks it is unfair that Formula 1 is allowed to continue, but multi-day festivals are not. “70,000 people at a multi-day event in Zandvoort. It just doesn’t feel fair anymore. Ouch”, concludes Nolet.
protest marches
The events sector is furious about the cabinet’s decision to suspend festivals and concerts, while football matches and Formula 1 with tens of thousands of visitors are allowed to continue. Under the heading ‘Unmute Us’, thousands of people took part in protest marches last weekend out of dissatisfaction with the cabinet decision about the festival summer.
Earlier there was also public commotion about the campsite near the Zandvoort site. The events industry, among others, criticized the 538 Dutch Grand Prix Village, which offers visitors the opportunity to stay overnight at the circuit. The sector thinks that is unfair. Mayor Moolenburgh said he can partly understand this dissatisfaction, but believes that the arrival of a campsite does not make the grand prix a festival in disguise.
