One thing you can say about Otep Shamaya is that she and her band has legions of diehard supporters. However, in recent weeks, there’s been more detractors than supporters, at least if you judge social media and bands that have opened for her. Currently on a tour that wraps up on July 5th, last week, The Convalescence was booted from the tour, allegedly for selling merch during Otep’s set, which is a no-no on tour. For her part, Otep initially said “if the band begins to act entitled or jeopardizes our message, then they gotta  go.” 

A few days later, she released a video, stating after a show was cancelled by a promoter that “local bands don’t sell tickets.” While that might have been an isolated incident relating to that particular show, it got under Amerakin Overdose frontman Cody Perez’ skin, as well as many others. He made an Instagram post stating that local bands do sell tickets and urging a boycott of Otep. She responded, and a Twitter war was born.

 

Fuck this piece of shit! The band is terrible and she’s full of shit! I will never attend a show Otep plays. The only times I have seen her live is because of the other bands playing with her. A recent live stream she posted she said “Local bands DONT sell tickets!” She’s full of shit. I have plenty of friends that have opened for Otep and sold tickets. She claims the local promoter is the one who decides if locals open. In my experience, the local promoter allows local bands to open IF the touring manager asks for locals. There is plenty of times the local promoter will say “The touring manager doesn’t want locals.” If the touring manager is asking for local support it’s because they know Otep can’t fill the place themselves and they NEED the help of the local bands for a crowd. Otep is a fucking joke! For someone that tries to put herself in the positive light she brings a lot of negativity. Here’s to you Otep 🖕🏻🖕🏻

A post shared by Cody Perez (@codyperezaod) on Jun 27, 2017 at 11:17am PDT

Aww look. An anal gland thinks it’s ppl 😂😂😂 https://t.co/ukHcxp2h1a

— ❄️ OTEP SHAMAYA (@otepofficial) June 27, 2017

As you can see, even in the thread, she has her supporters. Dead by Wednesday stated in a Facebook post that while they had no problems opening the tour a few weeks back, they were thrown out of the venue for Otep’s sound check and meet and greet. And some guy in Texas was pissed enough at the way Otep treats local bands to rant on Facebook for an hour and try to start #nOtep as a hashtag. Regardless, local bands are (at least sometimes) a big reason why rooms are filled, and she should address the fact that they’re allegedly not allowed to sell merch while her band plays. Many of these bands break even or lose money opening for a national act and rely on merch sales to put them in the black. She owes fans of opening acts an explanation, if not an apology.

[via theprp, h/t Roger S.]

Bram Teitelman

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