Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard refused to soften his band鈥檚 frat boy persona on Thursday as they played their first show since announcing plans for an 鈥渋ndefinite hiatus鈥� in the wake of recent sexual assault and misconduct allegations.
The singer didn鈥檛 spend any time acknowledging the apology he issued a day earlier on social media for what he called 鈥渞eckless and dismissive鈥� treatment of women throughout his career.
Instead, Hoggard paused for a moment to thank fans for their unwavering support but spent more time playing into the band鈥檚 trademark antics with thinly veiled sexual innuendoes.
None of it appeared to faze the Brampton, Ont. crowd who filled about two-thirds of the 5,000-seat venue and responded with enthusiastic cheers.
At one point in the show Hoggard encouraged fans to hold the hand of a friend next to them and profess their interest in having the other person serve them 鈥渂reakfast.鈥�
鈥淏ecause, baby, you鈥檙e my most important meal of the day,鈥� Hoggard added, which seemed to imply oral sex.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what that means. I just made it up. Ow!鈥� he added before quickly moving on.
Related: Hedley to take 鈥榠ndefinite hiatus鈥� after tour
During another break in the set he called out a young woman near the front who he saw texting during his performance. He jokingly confiscated her phone and rifled through the contacts, stopping briefly on one labelled 鈥淒ad.鈥�
鈥淲ho鈥檚 dad?鈥� Hoggard asked. 鈥淒ad? Is that what you call him?鈥�
He then asked whether her father was in the audience.
鈥淗e鈥檚 here? Of, course he鈥檚 here,鈥� he said before flipping through the names further and settling on the fan鈥檚 aunt. He gave her a quick phone call to the excitement of the audience.
Those moments were in contrast to a statement by Hedley on Wednesday which promised to 鈥渢ake a long hard look in the mirror鈥� and do some 鈥渟oul-searching鈥� in response to their past behaviour.
A 24-year-old Ottawa fan of the band alleged to the CBC that she was sexually assaulted by Hoggard after chatting with him on the dating app Tinder and agreeing to meet him at a hotel in Toronto. Hoggard鈥檚 lawyer Brian Shiller said in a statement that the woman and the Hedley frontman had 鈥渕ade a mutual plan to get together to have sex and they did just that.鈥�
Katie Summers, a radio host in Calgary, came forward on Wednesday with a new sexual misconduct allegation saying Hoggard made a comment after an interview about performing oral sex on him before grabbing her buttocks.
The group鈥檚 members responded saying they were 鈥渢ruly sorry, as individuals and as a band, to anyone who has been negatively affected by our behaviour鈥� and added they decided to continue on with their 15 scheduled concerts for the sake of their crew and others who 鈥渄epend on this tour for their livelihood.鈥�
Hoggard also released his own statement saying he has 鈥渘ever engaged in non-consensual sexual behaviour,鈥� but acknowledged he 鈥渂ehaved in a way that objectified women鈥� and was 鈥渞eckless and dismissive of their feelings.鈥�
Fans outside the venue before the concert said they were standing by their band unless they saw evidence they considered more reliable.
Israel Sitzer said she planned to scream louder than ever in support of Hedley.
鈥淚 think you鈥檙e innocent until proven guilty,鈥� the Scarborough, Ont. resident said.
鈥淪o I hold onto that because I know what it鈥檚 like to be accused of something you didn鈥檛 do. Especially when (Hoggard says in his apology), 鈥極h, I鈥檝e objectified women鈥� 鈥� every rocker has, on a more real note. Until something comes out that says he did it or he鈥檚 guilty of it, I鈥檓 going to support him.鈥�
Another fan named Audrey weighed the possibility of skipping the concert after she bought tickets long before the allegations surfaced. She decided since she鈥檇 already paid for seats, she might as well stick with plans to attend the show with her mother as a chaperone.
鈥淢aybe I wouldn鈥檛 have bought the tickets if I knew about the accusations,鈥� Audrey said, declining to give her last name on her mother鈥檚 advice.
鈥淭onight it鈥檚 about the music.鈥�
Related: Concert-goers unfazed by Hedley sexual misconduct allegations
Near the end of the concert Hoggard seemed to subtly acknowledge the worsening storm of recent weeks, which saw Hedley鈥檚 management sever ties, radio stations pull their music and one venue cancel plans to host an upcoming concert. Some fans have also requested refunds for their tickets.
Hoggard thanked the audience for 鈥渂elieving and standing behind us鈥� and said that 鈥渟ometimes life sucks.鈥�
鈥淚f you didn鈥檛 show up here we couldn鈥檛 play here. You鈥檙e the reason we fight, the reason we sing,鈥� he said.
The singer also promised this wouldn鈥檛 be the last time Hedley would visit Brampton, suggesting the hiatus will indeed be temporary.
As the show ended, Public Enemy鈥檚 鈥淒on鈥檛 Believe the Hype鈥� played over the auditorium speakers as the crowd filed out.
David Friend, The Canadian Press
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