Title: The Killers Apologize as Lead Singer Brandon Flowers Booed for Bringing Russian Fan Onstage in Georgia
Date: August 15, 2023
The Killers, an American rock band, have issued an apology after their lead singer, Brandon Flowers, was met with boos at a concert in Georgia for bringing a Russian fan onstage and urging the crowd to embrace each other as “brothers and sisters.”
During a performance in Batumi, Georgia on Tuesday night, the band invited a man to play the drums with them during the song “For Reasons Unknown.” Flowers then addressed the crowd, saying, “We don’t know the etiquette of this land but this guy’s a Russian. You OK with a Russian coming up here?” The crowd responded with a mix of cheers and boos.
Part of the audience left the concert in protest, while some stayed to continue enjoying the show. The incident sparked controversy as Georgia is a former Soviet state that was invaded by Russia in 2008. The country continues to face the occupation of 20% of its territory.
Flowers, undeterred by the negative response, further addressed the incident after the song. He asked the crowd if they couldn’t recognize someone as their brother and stated, “We all separate on the borders of our countries? Am I not your brother, being from America?” He urged the audience to celebrate that they were all gathered together, expressing his desire for unity.
In response to the backlash, The Killers took to social media to apologize. In a statement on Twitter, the band said, “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.”
The band clarified that Flowers’ comments were intended to convey that all of The Killers’ audience and fans are “brothers and sisters,” but they acknowledged that the message could be easily misconstrued.
Georgia gained independence from Soviet rule in 1991 and has experienced an influx of Russians since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine in 2022. Some Russians in Georgia have faced backlash, including incidents involving Russian cruise ship arrivals being hounded.
The Killers expressed their solidarity with the Georgian people and hoped to return soon. They stated, “We stand with you and hope to return soon.”
Despite the controversy, The Killers completed the rest of their show, according to the concert database Setlist.fm.
This incident highlights the sensitive political tensions between Russia and Georgia and the importance of understanding the cultural context surrounding performances and public statements.