'The Killers' and Black Sea Arena Issue Apologies Amid The Concert Controversy
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, August 17, 2023
On August 15th, during the US band The Killers' stadium concert at the Black Sea Arena, a wave of controversy unfolded as a Russian drummer was brought to the stage by the band, leading many attendees to exit the event. The lead singer's plea for Georgians to forge a sense of 'brotherhood and sisterhood' with Russians, despite ongoing issues such as Russia's occupation of 20 percent of the country and war crimes in Ukraine, stirred strong reactions among the audience.
Upon the revelation that the participant was Russian, the audience openly voiced their discontent. The mentioning of 'brotherhood' triggered opposition and uproar from the crowd, yet the band persisted with their performance.
"We acknowledge our part in this matter and offer our heartfelt apologies," reads the statement from the Black Sea Arena in response to the incident.
As detailed in the statement, the artist's performance on stage does not reflect the stance of the Black Sea Arena.
"We understand the sentiments of our guests. The artist's appearance on stage does not represent the official position of the Black Sea Arena. We accept our share of responsibility, extend our sincere apologies, and present you the artist's statement concerning the incident. It's important to underline that Russia is the occupying force," the statement emphasized.
The band itself issued an apology to the public for the incident through a statement, clarifying that their aim was not to 'upset' anyone.
"Good people of Georgia, it was never our intention to offend anyone! We have a longstanding tradition of inviting people to play drums and it seemed from the stage that the initial response from the crowd indicated that they were okay with tonight's audience participation member coming onstage with us. We recognize that a comment, meant to suggest that all of The Killers' audience and fans are 'brothers and sisters', could be misconstrued. We did not mean to upset anyone and we apologize. We stand with you and hope to return soon," the statement reads.
