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02nd Oct 2017

LCD Soundsystem member brands Leo Varadkar a “liar” after controversial backstage meeting

It must have been an eventful meeting at the Olympia.

Conor Heneghan

LCD Soundsystem

Nancy Whang’s comments came after the Taoiseach was branded a “tosser” by guitarist Al Doyle.

LCD Soundsystem band member Nancy Whang has described Leo Varadkar as a “liar” following a meeting between the Taoiseach and the band after their Dublin gig on Friday night.

Whang’s description of the Taoiseach as a “liar” appeared to be in relation to a Daily Mail front page story about the meeting, which was included in a tweet sent by the musician on Sunday (see below).

Whang also accused Varadkar of not standing up for reproductive rights and said that she hoped he enjoyed his “free concert and taco” after meeting the Taoiseach backstage at the third of their three Dublin gigs in the Olympia Theatre on Friday night.

Whang’s comments came after Varadkar was described as a “tosser” by LCD Soundsystem guitarist Al Doyle in the early hours of Saturday morning, although Doyle posted a series of tweets later on Saturday afternoon after claiming that “some apologies are in order”.

He wasn’t inclined to retract the “tosser” comment, mind…

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914073671030976512

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914073924601831425

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914074233990520832

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914074473242021889

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914074816755453952

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914075113930334210

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914076284191412225

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914120490008096768

https://twitter.com/aldoyletweets/status/914122669574017025

Following something of a storm surrounding Doyle’s initial comments – the guitarist also claimed in an exchange with journalist Brian Lloyd of Entertainment.ie that Nancy (Whang) “totally fucken (sic) took him (Varadkar) to task as well” – Caroline Downey of MCD disputed his version of events, posting a picture of the Taoiseach with the band (Whang didn’t appear in the photo) backstage.

Varadkar was also defended by TD Helen McEntee, who attended the gig with the Taoiseach on the night.

Varadkar himself told the Sunday Independent that he and a number of his colleagues were invited backstage to meet the band, which he described as “a real privilege”.

He also added that “one or two of the band members wanted to share their view with me on the Eight Amendment” and that “he had no problem at all with that”.

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