We trekked out to Waterloo Records yesterday in the name of “journalism,” hoping to catch the protest against Scandinavian popsters Peter, Bjorn & John scheduled to coincide with their in-store. But upon arrival, we were greeted with a long line for the next band on the bill and not much else. Turns out the mastermind of the uprising skipped town:

To those of you who are turning up right now to protest: I am sorry. This whole campaign against Peter Bjorn and John has pushed me to what I now realize is a total mental and emotional breakdown. I haven’t eaten in forty-eight hours, and the friends I am staying with have basically asked me to get out. I simply can’t carry this burden any longer. I have packed up my car and am leaving town.

I started this blog to take the fight to Peter Bjorn and John. Obviously I can’t claim to have won that fight, but I hope that the fight will continue without me today. Maybe someone reading this right now will decide to make the fight their own. As for those of you who like Peter Bjorn and John, who are raising them up to some sort of demigod status even as we speak — well, you can go ahead and pile on me if you like. Call me names. Gloat. I expect nothing less from you smug indie jackals. Mark my words, though: history will smile on our side, not yours. It’s cold comfort, but it’s all I’ve got right now.

The organizer’s “issues” aside, we’re really disappointed, if only because it’s fall-throughs like this that raise the levels of apathy that our supposed hero was crusading so hard against. Also, dude, you’re at SXSW, where the free food flows like water during the day, and you don’t eat for 48 hours? Something smells very fishy here, and we’re kicking ourselves for having believed that this would go off in the first place.

Goodbye [Stop Peter Bjorn and John]
Earlier: “Harmless” Indie-Rock Outfit Inspires Howls Of Protest