More Colorado rodeo woes

At the start of the month, the Greeley Stampede was the focus of a ultimately pointless Poison spat when Rikki Rocket issued a statement about how terrible it was that the band were playing a rodeo, but played anyway because, erm, a gig is a gig.

Now, the Cheyenne Frontier Days has suffered a high-profile pull-out, as Matchbox Twenty suddenly realised that being lined up to play a rodeo meant they were going to have a play a rodeo, and bailed. Although, apparently, it's only cruel sometimes:

Matchbox Twenty, which said it cancelled because of animal rights concerns, will be playing at three state fairs that also feature rodeos in the coming months.

The band could not be reached for comment Friday about why it considered the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo, touted as the "Daddy of 'em All," different from the other rodeos it has agreed to play.

The group is scheduled to perform at the North Dakota State fair, the Orange County State Fair and the California Mid- State Fair.

Perhaps Californian bulls deserve to be badly treated.

Matchbox 20's confused buffalo stance

Well done to Matchbox 20, for cancelling a gig at a rodeo because of the animal welfare issues:

"We ask that (fans) please understand that it would be impossible for us to put ourselves in the position of making money from what we believe to be the mistreatment of animals."

Well done, Rob Thomas. Although what we don't quite understand is when, exactly, you twigged that a gig at Cheyenne Frontier Days ("the World's biggest rodeo") would involve making money off hurting animals. Still, well done for doing the right thing eventually.

Oddly, Matchbox 20 are still down to play the North Dakota State Fair this year. (We're not sure how North Dakota gets to have a state fair, as it's only half a state, but we can't pretend to understand these things.)