Kevin Lyman Responds to Front Porch Step Performance

We’re pretty sure that at this point in time, everyone has heard that Front Porch Step (Jake Mcelfresh) was allowed to perform at the Acoustic Basement stage on the Vans Warped Tour in Nashville yesterday (July 1). This resulted in several artists dropping off the stage (Aaron West) and others telling attendees to stay clear from that stage during the set (Senses Fail).

Almost as quickly as it was revealed that he would be performing, the internet went crazy over his presence at the festival. Accusations began that it was all a stunt to sell more tickets to the show that day or it was the festival condoning the presence of an alleged pedophile at a show full of minors.

To say that Warped Tour concert-goers (or now former concert-goers?) were upset about the singer’s inclusion on the line-up would be one of the biggest understatements of the decade. We’ve read too many articles from writers giving their opinions about the situation in the last 24 hours.

Things definitely got heated with many commentators on those posts repeatedly calling Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman an “asshole” and telling him to “go fuck himself” and straight up telling him he needs to be “kicked out of the scene.”

Around the time that the video footage of Mcelfresh surfaced online, Lyman went to Alternative Press and spoke to them, exclusively, about letting Mcelfresh onto the Nashville line-up. We’re sure that just ignited people even more than before.

According to Lyman, it was part of Mcelfresh’s “therapy.” Lyman claims he spoke with Mcelfresh’s counselor who recommended that playing a set at the festival would help with the singer’s recovery.

“He was only supposed to be here long enough to play his show,” Lyman revealed to Alt Press.

“[But] the weather today has been putting us behind schedule. He wasn’t added to the tour, so those claims that he was ‘added to sell tickets’ are completely groundless.”

Lyman also pointed out that Mcelfresh still has not been formally charged with any misconduct, which led to him agreeing with the performance.

“If he was a legitimate danger to anyone, he simply would not have been here.”

We beg to differ and apparently the court of opinion has already ruled him as guilty.

Allison Weiss and Rob Lynch to Resume U.K. Tour Sans Front Porch Step

After announcing she would not be touring with Front Porch Step following the allegations against him, Allison Weiss has now let her fans know that the tour will go on as planned, but without Jake Mcelfresh.

Taking to Facebook earlier in the day, Weiss revealed that thanks to some serious behind-the-scenes work, she and fellow tour mate, Rob Lynch, will be going forward with the United Kingdom tour that they thought had been derailed by all the controversy.

Read her statement below:

“After some hard behind the scenes work by some very god people, I’m SO happy to announced Rob Lynch and I will still be touring the UL together as originally planned!!

Unfortunately, our former tour mate Jake McElfresh (Front Porch Step) has dropped off the dates due to a very sensitive personal situation. Though this news almost derailed the whole tour, Rob and I have just learned that the two of us will still be able to play the originally scheduled shows*.

Despite the upsetting nature of the recent events, Rob and I feel that these shows will be even more special than before. We’ve chosen to celebrate the power and unity of live music, and focus all of the positive energy brought into our lives through this scene.

We would love if you would join us to make these 10 days the best they can be!

Lastly, we’d like to thank everyone for all of the support you’ve sent our way in the past week.

We could do this without you.

Love,

Allison (and Rob!)”

As for Mcelfresh, last weekend the musician voluntarily suspended all of his upcoming tour dates following the petition against him for allegedly sexual harassing underage girls. These suspended dates include the Vans Warped Tour which means the petition accomplished what it set out to do.