A screengrab of the since-deleted live performance footage Chris Janson uploaded to social media.
Yesterday, Digital Music News was first to report on the backlash country music star Chase Rice faced after playing a packed concert – dubbed a “super-spreader” by some – amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Now, country singer Chris Janson is also grappling with criticism for performing a non-socially distanced gig.
Whitney Pastorek, a self-described former employee of Red Light Management, which represents Chris Janson, appeared to ignite the controversy by publishing a firmly worded tweet accompanied by footage of Janson’s weekend set in Filer, Idaho.
The 34-year-old artist headlined the final day (Saturday, June 27th) of Gordy’s Hwy 30 Music Fest and uploaded clips of the performance to social media, before deleting the video following fan pushback.
“Oh look, Chris Janson also doesn’t care about the health of his fans! I used to work for his management company, but they laid me off in April, so now I can come right out and say that this is reprehensible, yay!” stated Pastorek.
Janson has avoided addressing the subject on social media, but the organizer of Gordy’s Hwy 30 Music Festival has defended the three-day event in multiple interviews. Essentially, Gordy’s justified the happening by pointing to bolstered safety measures (namely “mandatory” hand sanitizer stations and space for fans to spread out) and compliance with local and state requirements.
On Thursday, June 11th, Idaho Governor Brad Little announced that his state was proceeding with “stage four” of its reopening plan, which allowed all businesses and venues to reopen their doors while adhering to health and safety guidelines.
To date, medical professionals have diagnosed 5,770 Idahoans with COVID-19, and 91 of the state’s residents have perished as a result of the disease’s complications.
Despite the defense set forth by the festival’s promoter, many on social media are voicing their disapproval with Janson’s playing.
“Unbelievable @janson_chris makes me sick!” vented one Twitter user.
“I hope these artists get sued into bankruptcy. They deserve it for jeopardizing people’s lives like that. Also, anyone attending these shows needs their head checked, big time. This isn’t normal to risk your life in this manner, certainly not for a music show,” wrote a different individual.
On the other side of the argument, some fans are backing Chris Janson and his decision to partake in the festival.
“Well, for your information, he was not close to anyone. He stayed away from everyone. It was people’s choice to go. The governor approved the THREE DAY CONCERTS THAT WENT ON!!!!! We can’t live in a bubble forever. No wonder you got fired,” tweeted a pro-Janson fan, responding to Pastorek’s message.
Elsewhere, in Europe, Dutch DJ Don Diablo is also dealing with fan backlash, albeit for playing a Cologne, Germany, arena.
Who’s doing the slamming? Now ask me if anyone cares who the slammers are?
The shutdowns and masks only make it worse. Of copurse, the media does not report that countries who never shut down—and developed herd immunity—have fared much better than the US.
I cannot believe how stupid people are to believe that shutdowns and mask do anything to help reduce CV. But, the mob believed Hitler in the 1930s, just like they believe in this CV hoax today. History repeats itself, no doubt.
Fake? Millions of cases and 500k+ deaths isn’t fake.
As for your shutdown theory, two words – New Zealand. They beat it with a very strict lockdown, actually. You try and try to politicize this. You try and try to point fingers and downplay it, but it’s real. It’s here. It’s happening. You’re a fool.
You dumfuk—there are millions of cases of flu and the common cold each year. Seasonal flu kills more.
And, the actual RESEARCH is coming in—studies in Sweden and Germany show that the herd immunity is more advanced than we thought, that the common cold helps develop immunity, that asymptomatic family members cause immunity in other family members, and that blood transfusions have caused immunity.
Of course, actual real data means nothing to you—because you are a dumfuk.
Yeah, whatever. Your opinion of my is worthless. Facts are facts and you don’t like them. That’s what it comes down to. Within 3 months, the number of cases and deaths outweighs your go-to answer of “the flu”.
Your theory – not research from any other country – about herd immunity is false (as you already know). This is a virus you can get over and over. Immunity, which is required for the theory of herd immunity to be valid, is not a thing with this virus.
I’m sure it will come as quite a bit of news to Chris Janson that he “owns” Red Light Management!
Chris Janson, you are no country singer. You are a capitalist super spreader!