Country star Aldean tells concertgoers to resist living in fear

TULSA, Oklahoma — Country star Jason Aldean brought the party back Thursday in his return to the stage following the deadly mass shooting that broke out while he was performing in Las Vegas, but the fun was tempered by the sting of the tragedy.

Three songs into his show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the singer launched into a five-minute speech that honoured the 58 killed and nearly 500 hurt in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. But Aldean took a defiant tone in telling concertgoers to resist living in fear, and he called for more of the national unity he’s seen since the attack.

“These people are going to continue to try to hold us down,” Aldean said. “To those people that keep trying to do that, I say [expletive] you, we don’t really care.”

Fans agreed. They pumped their fists and held up American flags as Aldean continued.

“I want to play the show for you guys that the people in Las Vegas came to see and didn’t get a chance to,” he said.

Friends Audra Miller, Lee Holstein and Amanda Zmak were some of those fans. They were in the audience when the shooting happened and ran for cover with thousands of others.

They travelled from Dallas for the Tulsa show and wore T-shirts that said “Vegas Strong,” a popular meme since the attack.

Miller, 34, said Aldean made them proud. “It was therapeutic and kind of like a cleansing all at the same time,” she said. “We just wanted to represent family, friends, love and hope.”

Aldean gave fans the show they wanted. The Georgia native is one of country music’s biggest stars, touring in support of his album They Don’t Know, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 in 2016.

Aldean cancelled shows in California last week to mourn those killed Oct. 1 at the outdoor Route 91 festival.