Morgan Wallen is among the country singers who say they’re ready to start booking concerts again — spurred by the sight of election celebrations that took place across America this weekend.
“The hypocrisy is unreal,” Wallen wrote on Instagram on Sunday, after sharing footage of the crowd gathered at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C.
“Time to start booking shows...If you don’t agree with me, fine. We can still be friends. But I have a family, band, and crew that need to be provided for and taken care of. If it’s OK for us to party in the streets with no ‘social distancing’ then we can book shows right now.”
That sentiment was shared by Chase Rice, who was widely criticized after performing for a tightly packed, mask-free audience in Petros, Tennessee back in June.
“...glad to see thousands gathering again,” he wrote on Twitter. ”Cool, glad that’s happening, concerts can resume.”
Wallen had his own COVID-related controversy last month when he was barred from performing on “Saturday Night Live.” That was in response to news that he’d partied in close contact with strangers in Alabama the previous weekend, violating the show’s COVID-19 protocols.
Sharing the same footage of Black Lives Matter Plaza on Instagram, Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line said he “knew we were waiting on the election since March when this (expletive) show started.”
“Time to go back to work AMERICA. Booking shows ASAP.”
On Monday, Kelley’s bandmate Tyler Hubbard announced that he tested positive for COVID-19. The duo has been removed from the performing lineup of Wednesday’s CMA Awards, as well as Lee Brice, who confirmed on Sunday that he had also tested positive.
Since March, the U.S. concert industry has been almost completely sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic. In recent months, several Nashville music venues have begun hosting concerts with limited audiences, mask requirements and socially distanced seating.
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