Rock troupe Great White have come under fire for hosting a concert in North Dakota late last week with seemingly no precautions in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Performing last Thursday (July 9) in Dickinson, ND, the outdoor concert — part of the city's "First on First Dickinson Summer Nights" performance series — saw attendees situating themselves side by side with virtually no one wearing any form of PPE or mask.
Following a wave of backlash, Great White have since issued a statement about the concert, apologizing for their actions while also eschewing any responsibility for the dangerous activities that took place that evening.
The band's statement reads as follows:
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 laws. We have had the luxury of hindsight and we would like to apologize to those who disagree 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. We value the health and safety of each and every one of our fans, as well as our American and global community. We are far from perfect.
This particular event follows a deadly incident involving Great White back in 2003, when a few members hosted a concert in West Warwick, RI, that saw the death of 100 people in a fire caused by their pyrotechnic display. Former member Jack Russel — who was in attendance that fateful night — had previously announced plans to release a documentary film about the tragedy.
See footage of the Dickinson concert below.
Performing last Thursday (July 9) in Dickinson, ND, the outdoor concert — part of the city's "First on First Dickinson Summer Nights" performance series — saw attendees situating themselves side by side with virtually no one wearing any form of PPE or mask.
Following a wave of backlash, Great White have since issued a statement about the concert, apologizing for their actions while also eschewing any responsibility for the dangerous activities that took place that evening.
The band's statement reads as follows:
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 laws. We have had the luxury of hindsight and we would like to apologize to those who disagree 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. We value the health and safety of each and every one of our fans, as well as our American and global community. We are far from perfect.
This particular event follows a deadly incident involving Great White back in 2003, when a few members hosted a concert in West Warwick, RI, that saw the death of 100 people in a fire caused by their pyrotechnic display. Former member Jack Russel — who was in attendance that fateful night — had previously announced plans to release a documentary film about the tragedy.
See footage of the Dickinson concert below.
