The Killers performed in a country facing political conflicts with Russia
O The Killers had to apologize to fans after inviting a Russian onstage. Traditionally, the band calls someone from the audience to perform “For Reasons Unknown” with the musicians. At the show last Tuesday, the 15th, in Georgia, it was no different, except for the boos.
“We don’t know what etiquette is followed here, but this guy is a Russian. Are you guys ok with a Russian coming up here?” Brandon Flowers. Georgia, a country at the intersection of Europe and Asia, is partly occupied by Russia, a nation with which it has political tensions.
#Russia|n drummer at The Killers concert spoke about the Russian-#Georgia|n “friendship”, which caused public protests pic.twitter.com/bVf7TMrFFw
— Mtavari TV (@MtavariChannel) August 15, 2023
People started to leave the concert, while Flowers it said: “Don’t you recognize that he is a brother? Is he not your brother? Are we all separated by the borders of our countries? I am not your brother because I am an American”, he asked.
Trying to get around the confusion, the vocalist stated that one of the values of The Killersis to bring people together. “Tonight, I want to celebrate that we’re together, and I don’t want it to get ugly. I see you as my brothers and sisters,” she said.
In a post on social media, the The Killers apologized:
Dear people of Georgia, it was never our intention to offend anyone! We have a tradition of inviting people to play drums and, from the stage, the initial response from the audience indicated that it was OK for someone to join us on stage. We acknowledge that the comment, which meant that the public and fans of The Killers are ‘brothers and sisters’, may have been misinterpreted. We didn’t mean to upset anyone and we apologize. We are with you and hope to be back soon.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
