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Brazil’s The Town Festival is standing by its decision to book Marilyn Manson for its September 4, 2027, opening day in São Paulo, where he is scheduled to perform with Slipknot. Festival executive Zé Ricardo said Manson has not been convicted, while allegations he denies and a civil lawsuit scheduled for trial remain unresolved.
Brazil’s The Town Festival is standing by its decision to book Marilyn Manson for its September 4, 2027, opening day in São Paulo, despite multiple abuse allegations against the singer. Rock World artistic vice president Zé Ricardo defended the booking in an interview with Folha de S.Paulo, saying Manson has not been convicted; Manson has denied the allegations.
Manson was announced alongside Slipknot for the festival’s opening day. Ricardo told Folha de S.Paulo that Manson was included as part of Slipknot’s touring package and is currently touring internationally. Manson is also joining Slipknot on the newly announced “(Sic)est Stadium Tour,” which is set to include Argentina and Chile.
More than a dozen women, including Evan Rachel Wood and Esmé Bianco, have accused Manson of sexual and psychological abuse and other misconduct. Manson has denied the allegations. In January 2025, Los Angeles prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges after a four-year investigation, citing the statute of limitations for domestic violence allegations and insufficient evidence to prove sexual assault charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The criminal decision did not resolve all legal matters. A separate sexual assault lawsuit filed by Manson’s former assistant Ashley Walters was revived earlier this year and is scheduled for trial in November 2027. That trial date follows the festival appearance currently announced for September.
A Festival Booking Under Scrutiny
The decision puts a prominent Brazilian festival’s booking policy in focus because it involves an artist accused by multiple women, while criminal charges were not brought and a separate civil case is still pending. The allegations, their denial, the prosecutors’ decision and the lawsuit’s status are distinct facts; none alone establishes the outcome of the unresolved civil case.
For attendees, the dispute may shape whether they choose to attend or support the event. For the festival, the response sets out how its leadership says it weighs allegations against the decision to book an artist. Ricardo said Rock World considers artists’ conduct and has declined to book some acts in what he described as concrete cases, while also saying the company cannot condemn someone without evidence.
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Manson’s Return to Brazil
The Town booking will mark Manson’s first performance in Brazil in a decade, according to the report. The festival takes place in São Paulo, and Rock World also operates Rock in Rio, giving the company a role in more than one major Brazilian music event.
The booking follows a dispute over Manson’s appearance at Mexico’s Feria Nacional Potosina a little over a year earlier, when calls were made to cancel the performance. San Luis Potosí Governor Ricardo Gallardo defended that event’s booking at the time, describing the decision to allow Manson to perform as an act of “cultural justice.” That episode is a separate decision by a different event and official.
““He’s someone who hasn’t been convicted; there’s nothing that has been proven.””
— Zé Ricardo, Rock World artistic vice president, speaking to Folha de S.Paulo
Civil Case Still Awaits Trial
The scheduled November 2027 trial in Walters’ lawsuit has not yet taken place, so its outcome is unknown. The source material does not provide further details about the claims in that case or any response from Manson specific to the lawsuit. The festival report also does not identify whether The Town may review its booking if the case or other developments change before September 2027.
The January 2025 prosecutorial decision was not a criminal conviction or a finding that all allegations were false: prosecutors said the domestic violence allegations were outside the statute of limitations and that evidence was insufficient to prove sexual assault charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Manson denies the allegations, and the legal status described in the report may change before either the festival date or the trial.
Festival Date and Trial Ahead
The Town has announced Manson and Slipknot for September 4, 2027, in São Paulo. The report does not specify a set time, ticket details, or whether the festival has announced any conditions related to the booking. Further event information may be released as the date approaches.
The next major legal milestone identified in the report is the November 2027 trial in Walters’ lawsuit. Until then, the festival’s booking remains scheduled, the allegations remain disputed, and the outcome of the civil case is pending.
Key Questions
When is Marilyn Manson scheduled to perform at The Town?
He was announced for the festival’s September 4, 2027, opening day in São Paulo, alongside Slipknot.
What did The Town say about the booking?
Rock World artistic vice president Zé Ricardo defended the decision, saying Manson has not been convicted and that the singer is part of Slipknot’s touring package.
Have criminal charges been brought against Manson in Los Angeles?
Prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges in January 2025 after a four-year investigation. They cited the statute of limitations for domestic violence allegations and insufficient evidence to prove sexual assault charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Is there still a lawsuit involving Manson?
Yes. A separate sexual assault lawsuit filed by former assistant Ashley Walters was revived earlier this year and is scheduled for trial in November 2027. Its outcome is not yet known.
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