Protest the Hero Vocalist Slams Brand New’s Jesse Lacey at Show

Protest the Hero vocalist Rody Walker slammed Brand New frontman Jesse Lacey during one of the band’s recent shows.

In a Short uploaded to Protest the Hero’s YouTube channel titled “Don’t give Brand New your money,” Walker addressed how often people call others pedophiles, “…especially conservative politicians,” from the stage at a show.

He then asserted that despite the frequent use of the word “pedophile,” people turn a blind eye to real cases of pedophilia.

“Why is anybody going to see Brand New?” he asked the crowd in his usual sardonic tone of voice. “Motherfucker was grooming children. He should not be afforded the stage he used to groom children.”

The video doesn’t offer any context as to why Walker brought up pedophilia during the concert, but a fan who was allegedly at the show mentioned the apparent reason in a Reddit thread.

“After few songs, Rody thanks the crowd for coming out, but says he’d rather be with his son at home (obviously in a bantering, joking way),” they wrote.

“Someone in the crowd banters back by booing him saying that (‘Boo your son!’), so Rody, all in good fun, jokes back by saying something like, ‘Do you like kids? Are you a pedo?’ Then towards the end of the show, he apologizes to the guy for calling him a pedo before he goes on the rant that you see on the video.”

See the clip from the concert below.

Protest the Hero Vocalist Rody Walker Slams Brand New’s Jesse Lacey During Show

The Allegations Against Jesse Lacey

Lacey admitted guilt after he was accused of multiple counts of sexual misconduct in the fall of 2017, including the solicitation of nude photos from two minors. In a lengthy apology post on his social media, the singer added that he “developed a dependent and addictive relationship with sex” when he was young.

Brand New already planned on disbanding at some point in 2018, but Lacey’s confession resulted in the group breaking up prematurely.

READ MORE: Fans React to Brand New’s 2025 Reunion

After playing a secret, intimate show in December of 2024 for charity, Brand New announced three reunion shows this past March, and then a full-scale, 24-date U.S. tour that kicks off at the end of May.

Shortly after announcing the 2025 tour, more grooming allegations were made against the singer. Medium published a story that was written by an individual who claimed the singer manipulated and groomed her when she was 15 years old after they became friendly.

“Jesse Lacey should not be allowed to tour right now,” she asserted in the article. “Jesse Lacey was a public figure who, in my opinion, used his position of power as a lead singer to exploit emotionally vulnerable young fans.”

Brand New and Lacey have not addressed any allegations since the band’s comeback earlier this year.