Airbnb Host Turns Away Metal Fan: “[We’re] Not Comfortable With the Nature of This Music”

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If your’e a metalhead, you’re used to dealing with some pretty elaborate depths of human stupidity. There are the dumb questions (“Do those guys actually worship Satan?”), the scowls at your T-shirt, and the inevitable religious types who want you to know how much you’re upsetting their imaginary friend. But getting refused a room based on musical preference — well, that’s a rare act of shittery. And yet that’s what happened to one British fan who had their Airbnb reservation turned down because the host didn’t care for the band they were trying to see.

As reported by Metal Hammer, a metal fan named Kayleigh tried to reserve a place in Bristol, where she wanted to catch a live show by nu-metal revivalists Death Blooms. However, the host in question denied her request because they were “not comfortable with the nature of this music.” When Kayleigh pressed them for explanation, the host claimed they  “have no issue with anybody’s taste in music,” but that they “find [Death Blooms’] music and lyrics aggressive, expletive-riddled and disturbing”.

The thing is, Airbnb does have a firm Nondiscrimination Policy on their website, which does state that when a person’s characteristics are not protected by law — for example, race, gender identity or sexuality — hosts are free to reject the booking based on “personal preference.” For example, if you smoke, or have a pet, your reservation request can be declined. However, when Kayleigh contacted them, the company said they would “take a closer look into [the situation].”

Death Blooms, for their part, have made a shirt featuring the adjectives that the Airbnb host used to describe them, and have promised that if they sell them out, the band will pay for Kayleigh’s stay themselves. So fans can go buy a shirt at the band’s merch site and help Kayleigh get a nice hotel room!

To this Airbnb host, from all of us at The Pit: suck our rancid asses and die, you discriminatory dickfor.

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Words by Chris Krovatin