Whysound cancels annual Whyfest after allegations in music community

Whyfest and all other upcoming events at Whysound has been canceled in response to community concerns. The annual music festival was set to take place April 11–13.  

Several local bands and community members created a petition in a letter to Whysound, a local music venue that’s faced multiple allegations of sexual assault within their management. The letter was sent on April 2. 

The letter stated, “Our response is fueled by a desire to see our music scene thrive, for artists to feel open to create and share their work on stage, and for music lovers to be able to safely enjoy live music and the community that surrounds it. We believe Whysound has the opportunity to lead by example and set a new standard for safety and inclusivity in our music scene.”  

In the letter, Whysound was urged to meet several demands surrounding leadership changes and the implementation of required sexual consent training for staff. The letter claimed if the demands were met, the boycott would be lifted.  

“We take the claims made recently against Whysound ownership very seriously. Part of Whysound’s mission to the music scene has always been to foster a culture of respect, accountability, and safety within the community.” Whysound wrote in an Instagram post.  

Whysound has been a large presence in the local music community since 2009.  

The venue wrote they are in contact with CAPSA to discuss the mediation of concerns. 

“We love this community and music scene and hate to step away, but it’s time for us to reflect on our role and to make some changes.” Whysound wrote in the post.  

As of April 8, there have been no additional updates from Whysound.  

CAPSA is a resource dedicated to supporting sexual abuse survivors. Contact them at their website www.capsa.org/. The Sexual Assault & Anti-Violence Information Office is available for students as a confidential resource on Utah State University’s Logan campus. They can be contacted at www.usu.edu/saavi/.