The Killers offended fans in Georgia after frontman Brandon Flowers invited a Russian fan onstage to play with them (Picture: NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
The Killers have apologised after Brandon Flowers told an audience in Georgia that a Russian fan was their ‘brother’ as he invited them up onstage.
The Smile Like You Mean It hitmakers were loudly booed towards the end of their show in Batumi on Tuesday after inviting a man to play drums with them during For Reasons Unknown.
Flowers revealed to the crowd in the former Soviet state that he was from the neighbouring country, which invaded them in 2008.
In video footage circulating online, the band’s frontman said to a mixture of cheers but overwhelming boos: ‘We don’t know the etiquette of this land but this guy’s a Russian. You OK with a Russian coming up here?’
After the song, the 42-year-old singer was booed again when he raised the subject a second time.
Trying to explain himself and rescue the situation, he was seen arguing: ‘You can’t recognise if someone’s your brother? He’s not your brother?
They said in the message, which was shared to their social channels: ‘Good people of Georgia, it was never our intention to offend anyone!
‘We have a longstanding tradition of inviting people to play drums and it seemed from the stage that the initial response from the crowd indicated that they were okay with tonight’s audience participation member coming onstage with us.
‘We recognise that a comment, meant to suggest that all of the Killers’ audience and fans are ‘brothers and sisters’ could be misconstrued. We did not mean to upset anyone and we apologise.’
‘We stand with you and hope to return soon,’ it finished.
Russia has occupied 20% of Georgian territory since its 2008 invasion.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine last year – which Russia also invaded – some Russian citizens have headed for the safety of Georgia, which gained independence from Soviet rule in 1991, but have faced a backlash there.
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Frontman Brandon Flowers invited the fan onstage to play the drums with them.