B.C. country music star Dallas Smith has called out what he described as 鈥渄isgusting鈥� behaviour by audience members during a performance this week in Dawson Creek.
In a tweet, Smith said he watched 鈥済irls and guys punching, pulling hair, groping girls,鈥� from the stage Tuesday night at the Encana Events Centre.
He went on to say that 鈥渕ost fans were great,鈥� but had a strongly worded message condemning the behavior of those that he said ruined the night.
鈥淕row the [explicit] up,鈥� he wrote.
I'm a good person. I speak my mind. I stand up for myself. Go ahead and be offended. I'm okay with that.
鈥� Dallas Smith (@dallassmith)
Smith, who was born and raised in Langley and is now on a North American tour, has received a mix of backlash and praise for speaking out 鈥� from fans, other musicians and local politicians.
Tweeted fan Emily Wheat: 鈥淚 hope your (sic) not willing to throw our entire town into this category as many residents did not attend and many concert goers (sic) aren鈥檛 even from Dawson creek but the surrounding areas.鈥�
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Dawson Creek Mayor Dale Bumstead took to Facebook, saying comments like Smith鈥檚 can make a signficant impact on a city鈥檚 reputation and future economic opportunities.
鈥淢y heart, my stomach, my body hurts when someone makes a discouraging comment about our city,鈥� Bumstead wrote.
鈥淩eputation IS everything. We work so hard day in and day out to build our communities reputation as a community that has a great quality of life. Very sad day for me right now.鈥�
Country singer Brett Kissel, who鈥檚 visiting the city in March, indirectly and told Dawson Creek their city is great.
Smith was quick to reply to Kissel鈥檚 remarks, saying he was 鈥渟tanding up to the groping, sucker punches and assaults on concertgoers.鈥�
READ MORE:
One attendee, Brandi Daly, Tweted she had her hair pulled, a drink spilled on her and 鈥渟ome random guy pulled my friend out of the crowd.鈥�
In another Tweet, she said she鈥檚 been to other performances in Dawson Creek, including for Papa Roach and Dean Brody, and said she鈥檚 never seen concertgoers in the city act in such a way.
He was an amazing performer! But some of the people in the pot acted atrociously! I had my hair pulled, some random guy pulled my friend out of the crowd. I had drinks spilled on me because a chick was tossing drinks at some dude.
鈥� brandi daly (@SmoQueed420)
PEOPLE SUCK! rocked though馃馃徎
Smith has three B.C. tour stops left: Kamloops on Nov. 16, Penticton on Nov. 17 and Abbotsford on Nov. 18.
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
Like us on and follow us on .
