Brazilian music festival The Town is standing behind its decision to book Marilyn Manson for its 2027 edition amid longstanding abuse allegations against the singer.
Manson was announced alongside Slipknot for the festival’s September 4th opening day in São Paulo. The appearance comes as Manson joins Slipknot on their newly announced “(Sic)est Stadium Tour,” which will also bring the bands to Argentina and Chile.
More than a dozen women, including Evan Rachel Wood and Esmé Bianco, have accused Manson of sexual and psychological abuse and other misconduct, allegations he has denied. In January 2025, Los Angeles prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges following a four-year investigation, citing the statute of limitations for domestic violence allegations and insufficient evidence to prove sexual assault charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
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However, a separate sexual assault lawsuit filed by Manson’s former assistant Ashley Walters was revived earlier this year and is currently scheduled for trial in November 2027.
Speaking to Brazil’s Folha de S.Paulo, Rock World artistic vice president Zé Ricardo said Manson came to The Town as part of Slipknot’s touring package and defended the decision to include him.
“He’s someone who hasn’t been convicted; there’s nothing that has been proven,” Ricardo said. “These are stories that absolutely do not reflect anything we believe in, but at this moment he is an artist who will be touring around the world.”
Ricardo added that Rock World, which also operates Rock in Rio, pays attention to artists’ conduct and has previously declined to book certain acts over what he described as concrete cases. “We also can’t condemn someone without evidence,” he said.
The Town booking comes a little over a year after Manson’s appearance at Mexico’s Feria Nacional Potosina faced calls for cancellation. San Luis Potosí Governor Ricardo Gallardo defended that booking at the time, describing the decision to let Manson perform as an act of “cultural justice.”
Manson’s The Town performance will also mark his first show in Brazil in a decade.
