Amidst allegations, Hedley’s Niagara show still a go
Hedley’s scheduled concert at the Meridian Centre next month is still on. For now.
With the band facing a firestorm this week after online allegations surfaced of sexual misconduct involving young fans, their songs have been pulled from radio stations across the country. They’ve also been dropped by their management group, The Feldman Agency, and had their planned performance at the March 25 Juno Awards cancelled.
But the band is going forward with its Cageless tour, which has stops in 11 cities before coming to St. Catharines March 7. On Thursday, the band issued a statement saying all press was uninvited from its Friday show in Brandon, Man.
“The Meridian Centre is aware of the allegations and is working with the event promoter to monitor any new developments,” said the arena’s director of marketing Kay Meilleur. “As always, our goal is to ensure that all guests experience a safe and inclusive environment while at the Meridian Centre.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and will keep our fans appraised of any developing details from the promoter when we have them.”
After allegations about the band — some involving fans as young as 14 — started surfacing online this week, Hedley took to its Facebook page claiming they were “simply unsubstantiated.”
“We realize the life of a touring band is an unconventional one,” the Feb. 14 statement said.
“While we are now all either married or have entered into committed, long-term relationships, there was a time, in the past, when we engaged in a lifestyle that incorporated certain rock and roll cliches. However, there was always a line that we would never cross.”
The band is nominated for three Junos Awards, including Group of the Year and Pop Album of the Year. But on Wednesday, organizers of the show tweeted that “after careful consideration of the situation and in discussions with the band,” Hedley would not be performing at the show.
Neon Dreams was scheduled to be one of the opening acts for the St. Catharines show, but on Friday released a statement saying it was pulling out of the tour in light of the allegations.
“We understand this choice could negatively impact our band professionally, but in the end we have to do what we feel is morally right.”
Shawn Hook, the other tour opener, released a statement late Thursday saying he would continue the tour “to fulfill my contractual obligations,” but was “obviously disheartened” by the allegations.