The internet is rife with speculation that Eminem will be playing at Banky’s Dismaland closing this weekend, both at last night’s final concert and tomorrow. It’s difficult to separate the reality from the fiction that is being thrown around, and many fans of both Banksy and Eminem are wondering what is actually going on. Here are the available facts.
1. The online rumor appears to have begun with a tweet by Rachael Wright on September 16.
The Inquisitr is unable to find a mention of Eminem playing Dismaland online before that date. Requests with Ms. Wright for clarification were not met with an immediate response. It is possible that Wright heard the rumor that Eminem will be closing Dismaland from offline sources. Her Twitter profile lists that she lives in Bristol, which is only 18 miles from Weston-super-Mare where Dismaland is located. Subsequent tweets made by Wright indicated that she intended to attend the final concert at Dismaland, which was held last night.
Just heard on the grapevine that the last 3 days are pay on the gate??? Oh and @Eminem is closing @DismalandWSM @seetickets #Dismaland
— Rachael Wright (@rachy_wright) September 16, 2015
2. Eminem almost certainly did not play at Dismaland at the final concert last night.
Many accounts of last night’s final Dismaland concert are available, and while some mention the Eminem rumor , such as Mashable, none report that Eminem played. Other acts that did appear included Pussy Riot, who played a new song, “Refugees In,” for the first time, performed in a cage, and took part in a staged riot that included actors dressed as police officers and “activists.” Other performers included De La Soul, who replaced Massive Attack, who were scheduled to perform, and Kate Tempest. A masked Damon Albarn from Blur was reported to have joined De La Soul on stage. Attendees were asked to wear masks at last night’s concert in order to allow Dismaland founder Banksy to circulate while upholding his anonymity. Despite the fact that Eminem did not appear last night, rumors on Twitter persist, leading some to believe that the rapper may actually be performing on Sunday evening.
Hey yo! In a couple hours we will be with a very, very violent set and a special message at #Banksy ‘s #Dismaland pic.twitter.com/r4pgrfxl8E
— ????? ????? (@pussyrrriot) September 25, 2015
3. The Dismaland website makes no mention of Eminem.
The site mentions last night’s concert, and names all the performers that are reported to have performed, but nothing about Eminem. Does this mean that Eminem isn’t playing? That question is still open for debate. If his performance was meant to be a surprise for attendees, then the Dismaland website would almost certainly not mention his name.
4. Eminem’s Twitter and Facebook accounts make no mention of playing at Dismaland.
Eminem’s most recent Facebook post was on September 11 and was about YelaWolf ft. His last tweet was on September 10 and was about also about YelaWolf ft.
Go behind the scenes of #BestFriend with @YelaWolf and @Eminem here: http://t.co/A92bb6f2aj
— Shady Records, Inc. (@ShadyRecords) September 10, 2015
5. Dismaland appears to really be closing its doors tomorrow, Sunday, September 27.
Both the Dismaland website and the Weston Mercury confirm that Sunday, September 27 is the last day. The website notes that a DJ is playing tonight and that there are “late nights to 1 a.m.” seemingly every night, so it’s possible that Eminem could be taking the stage right now, or that he could be playing tomorrow, if he is playing at Dismaland at all. The “Dismaland Eminem” Twitter search will likely light up with news if Eminem does appear.
[Eminem Photo by Christopher Polk / Getty Images — Dismaland Photo by Matthew Horwood / Getty Images — Attendant Photo by Matthew Horwood / Getty Images]