Former Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan will headline Looe Live! festival in Cornwall, two years after he was sacked from the band for assaulting his then-fiancée Vikki Ager.
Meighan left the rock group in 2020 citing “personal issues”, before appearing in court less than 24 hours later to plead guilty to assaulting Ager, his partner of four years.
He was given an 18-month community order sentencing him to 200 hours of unpaid work.
On Thursday (9 June), Meighan was announced as a headline act for Cornwall’s Looe! Live festival, which takes place across three days from 16 to 18 September.
This is the first time he has played a festival since being convicted of assault two years ago.
In 2021, Meighan and Ager married. The couple released a statement, reading: “Tom has worked so hard on himself, his health, family unit, and his relationship with Vikki over the past year.”
Earlier this year, the 41-year-old embarked on a UK tour backed by a band featuring a number of Cornwall musicians such as Gareth Young, Ele Lucas, and Brodie Maguire.
After Meighan pleaded guilty to assaulting Ager, the remaining members of Kasabian issued a full statement regarding his status in the band.
“No one in the band wanted this to happen,” the statement read. “We have all worked so hard for the past twenty three years and had big plans for our future together. We’re completely heartbroken.
“But we were left with no choice but to ask Tom to leave the band. There is absolutely no way we can condone his assault conviction. Domestic violence and abuse of any kind is totally unacceptable.”
They continued: “As soon as we found out about the charges made against Tom, we as a band made the decision that we could no longer work with him. Unfortunately we had to hold back this information until he was found guilty in court.
“Ultimately, as much as Tom has hurt us all, we’re not the victim in all this,” they concluded. “Domestic violence is something that can never be excused.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, on 0808 2000 247, or visit their website here.
