Rock band Great White has apologized for performing at a North Dakota concert where members of the audience failed to wear masks or practice social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The band came under fire after footage from their show, which was part of the "First on First: Dickinson Summer Nights" concert series held on Thursday, emerged showing a crowd crammed up against the stage at the outdoor venue without their masks on, Deadline reported.
Great White said in a statement that they could not enforce the law but were sorry for those who failed to adhere to safety protocols.
"We understand that there are some people who are upset that we performed this show, during this trying time. We assure you that we worked with the promoter. North Dakota’s government recommends masks be worn, however, we are not in a position to enforce the law," the band wrote.
"We have had the luxury of hindsight and we would like to apologize to those who disagreed with our decision to fulfill our contractual agreement. The promoter and staff were nothing but professional and assured us of the safety precautions…our intent was simply to perform our gig, outside, in a welcoming, small town."
County singers Chase Rice and Chris Janson also felt the heat after performing in front of mask-less fans at large outdoor concerts. Rice was criticized for his recent concert in East Tennessee while Janson faced backlash after appearing at a music festival in Filer, Idaho, USA Today reported.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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