Hedley fans stand by beleaguered band
TOUR: Others drop them over alleged sexual misconduct
HALIFAX — The band has been dropped by their management team, tour openers and dozens of radio stations, but concertgoers say they are standing by Hedley as the besieged pop-rockers continue to perform across the country in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations that they have steadfastly denied.
Fans screamed until they were out of breath during Hedley’s lively performance at Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre on Friday.
Frontman Jacob Hoggard thanked Hedley fans from the “bottom of our hearts” for being the people the band could always rely on, but did not directly address the anonymous allegations of inappropriate behaviour involving young fans that have emerged on social media in recent weeks.
“To everybody … who has stood behind us all of these years — through the ups and the downs, through the highs and the lows, the good times and the bad — Halifax, we could never, ever imagine doing this without you,” Hoggard told the crowd over anthemic music.
“Because sometimes life sucks, and that’s why we’ve got you. And, Halifax, sometimes life sucks, but that’s why you’ve got us — Stay in our lives, and I promise we’ll stay in yours.”
As fans filed into the Halifax auditorium on Friday, many concertgoers said they were more focused on enjoying the show than litigating the allegations against Hedley, which some said had little bearing on their feelings toward the band.
Several fans said they had not investigated the claims themselves, or did not believe it was their place to cast judgment.
“The band is probably suffering, but until there’s more about it, everything’s pretty vague,” said Kristen MacIntosh, who drove from Cape Breton to see the show with her eight-year-old son after buying him a ticket as a Christmas present.
Seats filled up in the auditorium as Toronto-based pop band Liteyears kicked off the show, filling in as Hedley’s opening act after singer Shawn Hook and Halifax’s Neon Dreams ditched the tour.
Cellphone lights and flashing neon sticks swarmed like fireflies
as the crowd welcomed Hoggard and Hedley bandmates Dave Rosin, Tommy Mac and Jay Benison to the stage with rapturous cheers.
Charlottetown-based singer-songwriter Kinley Dowling, who is known as the violinist in Newfoundland’s Hey Rosetta!, said on Instagram that she and four friends protested outside the Hedley concert in Summerside, P.E.I., on Saturday night.
“We only got some ‘lip’ from a few fans, but we just hope they have an open mind in the future,” Dowling wrote in an Instagram post.
The band’s performances in Atlantic Canada were met with mixed reactions on social media.