Meme-rock heroes Smash Mouth have undone years of internet goodwill by performing in front of a huge and mostly unmasked crowd in America, despite the fact coronavirus was, is, and will continue to be a thing.
Billboard reports the band brought the hits to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota on Sunday night, performing at one of the event’s many, many live concerts.
Footage from the scene shows frontman Steve Harwell telling a throng of punters “Fuck that COVID shit!”
It’s a sentiment I am sure we all endorse, but saying it in person, in front of legions of mask-less punters, seems iffy:
🚨HAPPENING NOW🚨 The Buffalo Chip is attracting hundreds, if not thousands, due to the 80th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (credit KOTATV) #SmashMouth #SouthDakota #Sturgis pic.twitter.com/3QyEtW7vi7
— Connor Matteson (@mattesontv) August 10, 2020
Speaking to Billboard, the band’s manager, Robert Hayes, said event organisers had a “strict social distancing and mask policy in place for all workers.”
Hayes added that organisers followed the “Covid addendum” tacked onto Smash Mouth’s rider.
“The Smash Mouth organization is taking this pandemic very seriously and has taken measures to keep our band, crew and fans as safe as possible during this time,” Hayes said.
The 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is expected to draw 250,000 punters from across America before it’s through, becoming one of the largest public events held in the US since the dawn of the pandemic.
It seems a few hundred of those bikers enjoyed the Smash Mouth gig, but the decision to perform in person has not gone down well with fans online, who raised concerns for the health and wellbeing of attendees.
Why would you hold a concert in the middle of a global pandemic? What is wrong with you? Do you believe it’s fake, or do you believe you’re more important?
— Daniel “Husky Hog” Lingen (@HuskyHog) August 10, 2020
I CAN NEVER LISTEN TO PACIFIC COAST PARTY AGAIN WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU HELD A CONCERT DURING A PANDEMIC WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU
— Jacob (@BoolinOnMarzz) August 11, 2020
Why did you go to Sturgis in the middle of a pandemic… I was rooting for you guys, yall are better than this :”(
— ゴゴ Oomles ゴゴ (@OomlesArt) August 10, 2020
the shape of an L sure is on your forehead now
— grace ⁹¹ ☁️232 days !!!☁️ (@folkloreftv) August 10, 2020
The New York Times reports that South Dakota has recorded 9,663 total cases of coronavirus, with an average of 93 new cases each day this week.
As it stands, 146 people have died in the state because of the virus.
Concerns over coronavirus scuppered major US festivals including Coachella and SXSW, but at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, folks can expect to see Drowning Pool, Lit, and Buckcherry in the days to come.
Get your game on, go play.
