The Killers issued an apology for inviting a Russian fan on stage during their concert in Georgia amid the respective countries’ ongoing political tension.
“Good people of Georgia, it was never our intention to offend anyone!” the band — comprised of Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Ronnie Vannucci Jr. and Mark Stoermer — wrote in a statement via Twitter on Tuesday, August 15. “We have a long-standing tradition of inviting people to play drums, and it seemed from the stage that the initial response from the crowd indicated that they were OK with tonight’s audience participation member coming on stage with us.”
The group continued: “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.”
While on stage at the Black Sea Arena in Shekvetili, Georgia, on Monday, August 15, frontman Flowers, 42, invited a concertgoer to come up and play the drums in their song “For Reasons Unknown.” The moment is a tradition at the band’s shows.
“We don’t know the etiquette of this land but this guy’s a Russian. You OK with a Russian coming up here?” Flowers asked the audience, who responded with a mix of cheers and boos, according to BBC.
The musician, for his part, rallied around the fan at the time and referred to him as “brother” — a term which drew major backlash.
“You can’t recognize if someone’s your brother? He’s not your brother?” he said, per the outlet. “We all separate on the borders of our countries? Am I, not your brother, being from America?”
The comment drew boos from the crowd and several concertgoers exited the venue, BBC reported. Flowers then urged the audience to take solace in the fact “that we’re here together” and he didn’t want the night to “turn ugly.” He ended his speech by telling the audience he sees them all as his “brothers” and “sisters.”
Georgia and Russia have faced political tension over the years. In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia — which gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 — and still occupies a portion of the former Soviet state to this day. Tensions have grown even more tumultuous since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, while the people of Georgia remain pro-Ukraine.
