The alternative rock band The Killers have issued an apology to the people of Georgia after its vocalist, Brandon Flowers, was booed by the crowd for bringing a Russian fan on stage to play the drums for their song "For Reasons Unknown" at a concert in the country's Black Sea resort town of Batumi. The show was part of the band's European tour.
"We don't know the etiquette of this land but this guy's a Russian," Flowers could be heard saying in footage shared on social media. "[Are you] okay with a Russian coming up here?"
There was a mixed reaction from the audience, and after the song, Flowers was booed for the band's decision, especially when he called the Russian fan a 'brother.'
"One of the things that we have come to appreciate about being in this band is it brings people together, and tonight I want us to celebrate that we are here together," he said. "And I don't want it to turn ugly. And I see you as my brothers and sisters."
The incident made some in the crowd reportedly leave the show early in protest.
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Georgia's Beef with Russia
Georgia was formerly part of the Soviet Union, and prior to that, had a very long history of conflict with the Russian Empire.
While the country gained independence in April 1991 and had a peaceful time in the early 2000s, Russian forces occupied the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in August 2008.
Russia continues to occupy the regions, which compose 20% of Georgia's territory, to this day as of this report.
Tensions have heightened after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, which resorted to a subsequent influx of Russians escaping their country's partial mobilization in response to massive casualties in the Russian ranks.
— The Killers (@thekillers) August 15, 2023
At the end of the show, the band apologized, saying they never intended to offend anyone.
"We recognise that a comment, meant to suggest that all of the Killers' audience and fans are 'brothers and sisters' could be misconstrued," the band said in a statement. "We did not mean to upset anyone and we apologize. We stand with you and hope to return soon."
