After the controversy surrounding a country music artist's concert held without recommended restrictions during the pandemic , and positive examples of metal concerts taking place in Europe following those recommendations , many may have thought that other musical events would follow the good examples… this was definitely not the case for Great White .
Last Thursday, the 9th, the band performed a show in the city of Dickinson, North Dakota, to a crowded and unmasked audience. Before the show, one of the event organizers, April Getz, revealed that the event would have no restrictions, stating, “It’s one of those things where people feel comfortable coming and mingling and crowding together, it’s their personal choice. We’re leaving it up to everyone who decides to come.”
Due to the highly negative reaction to the event, the band apologized in an announcement to Blabbermouth , saying: “We understand that some people are upset that we played this show during this difficult time. We assure you that we worked with the promoter [of the show]. The North Dakota government recommends that masks should be worn; however, we are not in a position to enforce the laws. We did not have the luxury of understanding the situation before it happened, and we would like to apologize to those who disagree with our decision to abide by a contractual agreement.”
“The promoter and crew were nothing short of professional and assured us of all safety precautions. Our intention was to perform our show outdoors, in a small and inviting town. We value the health and safety of each of our fans, as well as our American and global community. We are far from perfect,” the band said.
Despite the apology, the band will perform on August 7th at the Riverfest in Fort Madison, Iowa, alongside other bands. Will the event follow the restrictions, or will news of reckless behavior at music events become commonplace?
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