The band has been dropped by their management team, tour openers and dozens of radio stations, but concert-goers 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 Hedley91裸聊视频檚 lively performance at Halifax91裸聊视频檚 Scotiabank Centre on Friday.
Frontman Jacob Hoggard thanked fans from the 91裸聊视频渂ottom of our hearts91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淭o everybody 91裸聊视频� who has stood behind us all of these years 91裸聊视频� through the ups and the downs, through the highs and the lows, the good times and the bad 91裸聊视频� Halifax, we could never, ever imagine doing this without you,91裸聊视频� Hoggard told the crowd over anthemic music.
91裸聊视频淏ecause sometimes life sucks, and that91裸聊视频檚 why we91裸聊视频檝e got you. And, Halifax, sometimes life sucks, but that91裸聊视频檚 why you91裸聊视频檝e got us 91裸聊视频� Stay in our lives, and I promise we91裸聊视频檒l stay in yours.91裸聊视频�
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The Canadian Press, which normally does not pay to cover live events, purchased a ticket to Friday91裸聊视频檚 show after representatives for Hedley only offered press credentials for the first three songs of the band91裸聊视频檚 performance.
Band representatives said Hedley is not giving interviews at this time. Hedley called the allegations 91裸聊视频渦nsubstantiated91裸聊视频� in a statement earlier this month.
As fans filed into the Halifax auditorium on Friday, many concert-goers said they were more focused on enjoying the show than litigating the allegations against Hedley, which some said had little bearing on their feelings towards the band.
Several fans said they had not investigated the claims themselves, or did not believe it was their place to cast judgment.
91裸聊视频淭he band is probably suffering, but until there91裸聊视频檚 more about it, everything91裸聊视频檚 pretty vague,91裸聊视频� 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.
Some fans expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the claims, questioning why anonymous social media users would bring up years-old allegations online rather than going to authorities.
Madisson Muise, a 16-year-old who came to Halifax from Yarmouth, N.S., to attend her first concert, said she was relieved she could still see her favourite band perform after fearing the tour would be cancelled.
91裸聊视频淭heir fans are really supporting them and sticking together,91裸聊视频� said Muise.
Charlottetown-based singer-songwriter Kinley Dowling, who is known as the violinist in Newfoundland91裸聊视频檚 Hey Rosetta!, said on Instagram that she and four friends protested outside the Hedley concert in Summerside, P.E.I., on Saturday night.
91裸聊视频淲e only got some 91裸聊视频榣ip91裸聊视频� from a few fans, but we just hope they have an open mind in the future,91裸聊视频� Dowling wrote in an Instagram post. 91裸聊视频滻t91裸聊视频檚 not an easy thing for a survivor to tell their story. Let91裸聊视频檚 not make it any harder for them just because you like the band91裸聊视频檚 music.91裸聊视频�
The band91裸聊视频檚 performances in Atlantic Canada were met with mixed reactions on social media.
Some diehard Hedley fans cheered on the band from afar, while other Twitter users expressed discomfort with the cloud of controversy following the musicians as they continue their tour in Ontario this week.
Alison Weatherston in Ottawa tweeted that her 15-year-old daughter, who has seen Hedley perform multiple times, was 91裸聊视频渉eartbroken91裸聊视频� after learning of the allegations against the band.
91裸聊视频淪he put her concert tees into the bag of clothes for the Salvation Army,91裸聊视频� Weatherston wrote. 91裸聊视频滻t91裸聊视频檚 hard to see your idols being awful.91裸聊视频�
Adina Bresge, The Canadian Press
