The Killers Say They Are Sorry For Telling A Crowd In Georgia To Call A Russian Fan Brother:
They were leaving the stage, but, to quote one of their most famous songs, they weren’t “doing just fine.” In a message made to X, the band said they “didn’t mean to make anyone upset and are sorry.”
The Killers said they were sorry Wednesday after drawing a Russian fan onstage throughout a tour stop within Georgia as well as asking the crowd to call him their “brother.”
At The Conclusion Of The Show, The Band Asked A Russian Audience Member To Join Them Onstage:
Near the conclusion of the show, the Russian concertgoer was called onstage by the band. In a clip shared on social media, lead singer Brandon Flowers, 42, said, “We don’t know the rules of this country, but this guy is Russian.” “Are you okay dealing with a Russian coming up here?”
Fans had different responses to what the “Mr. Brightside” singer said. Some booed and some cheered. The clip shows that the band asked the man to play the drums during their 2006 hit “For Reasons Unknown.”
Fans of the Las Vegas band say that Flowers did this more than once on the band’s “Imploding the Mirage” trip around the world.
The Fan Said That We All Split Up At Our Countries’ Borders I’m Not Your Sibling:
“You don’t know if someone is your brother or not? “He’s not your brother!” Flowers yelled after the song was over. “Don’t we all split up at our countries’ borders? Not your brother, am I? Since I’m from America, am I not your brother?”
Since Russia invaded Georgia within 2008, there have been no official international ties between the two countries. Since becoming independent from the Soviet Union within 1991, Georgia has had to find a balance between the pro-European feelings of its people and the strategic goals of its neighbor.
Then The Killer Made A Public Statement:
The Killers said in a statement after the show, “It was never our goal to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
“We’ve been inviting people to lend their drums for a long time, and the first reaction from the crowd seemed to show that they were fine with tonight’s audience member joining us onstage,” the statement, which was shared on social media, said.
The Killers, who may be most famous for the song “Mr. Brightside” from their 2004 initial album, said that Flowers’ quote was “meant to suggest that all of The Killers’ audience and fans are ‘brothers and sisters,'” but that it “could be misconstrued.”
Recently, Georgian Dream Was Too Close To Moscow:
South Ossetia as well as Abkhazia, two rebel areas that are officially a part of Georgia yet have their own governments that are not recognized through most countries as well as are supported by Russia, were at the center of the 2008 conflict.
Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, was recently accused of having close ties to Moscow, especially when trying to pass a foreign agents bill earlier in the year, which critics stated was similar to controversial Russian laws. Many people spoke out against the plans.
“It’s simple to see how an American rock band on tour could have upset local feelings about something that is hard for many people outside of the nation to understand,” stated Kezerashvili.
There Is A Huge Gap Between How Regular Georgians Feel And How Their Government Acts:
“First of all, there is a big difference between how regular Georgians feel about Russia and how their government feels about Russia. The people of Georgia think their future lies alongside the West, but their leaders are leaning more and more toward Moscow.
Kezerashvili, who is 44 years old, also said that many Georgians were shocked when the government didn’t punish Russia for invading Ukraine and angry when they were told they could lose their citizenship if they fought on the front lines.
Kezerashvili said, “It’s only natural that people are worried about the Kremlin’s growing power in Georgia’s government.” “Many people have the sneaking feeling that Vladimir Putin is attempting to take over the country.”