Pearl Jam Won't Be Jamming in NC

First Bruce Springsteen and Cirque du Soleil, now Pearl Jam and Boston. The latter two bands have both announced they're pulling out of scheduled concerts in North Carolina in response to the state's recently passed law that curtails anti-discrimination protections for the LGBT community, the AP reports. Pearl Jam, which was set to perform Wednesday at Raleigh's PNC Arena, issued a statement on its website that noted its decision, made "with deep consideration and much regret," was based on the "despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens."

It adds: "We want America to be a place where no one can be turned away from a business because of who they love or fired from their job for who they are." Boston, meanwhile, put out its own message penned by band founder Tom Scholz, asserting that "human rights are more important" than the three May shows planned for Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte. "We look forward to the day that the state government of North Carolina will come to its senses and treat ALL individuals with equal freedom in their pursuit of happiness here in the United States," the statement reads. (Even porn site XHamster stands in solidarity against the law.)