The Pretenders Ask Diehard Fans Not to Stand in Front Row at Every Show
The Pretenders are currently on tour in the U.K. and shared some sentiments about their fans that received mixed responses. The band, which rose to fame in the late ’70s led by Chrissie Hynde, is best known for songs “Brass in Pocket,” “Dont Get Me Wrong,” “I’ll Stand by You” and many more. Hynde recently shared a message on social media where she thanked fans for their support but warned fans who are always in the front row that they could get moved.
She started out by saying, “First of all, thank you to everyone who’s come to see our shows. We’re in the homestretch of this year‘s tour and it’s been a real pleasure. Fantastic cities and fantastic audiences. We’ve had a great time playing for you.”
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Then she shared, “One thing we feel obliged to explain: When we go on tour, the whole point of it for the band is that we are playing to a different audience every night. That’s why we go on tour! So if we’re in Edinburgh (like we are tonight), we look forward to seeing local faces. This is what makes it new for us every night. We appreciate those of you who follow us and buy tickets for multiple nights, so please don’t be offended if we request you to move out of the front row. All we are asking is that you give the local fans a chance. This is what keeps it new for us … especially after being on tour for so many months.”
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Some fans agreed with Hynde, saying that multiple fans should get a chance to see the band up close while others thought she was being rude to their most loyal fans. Some suggested that the band do something that Billy Joel does on his tours. He purposely does not sell tickets for the front row and, instead, his team selects fans from the back and moves them up front as a surprise. This ensures the people in the front row are truly happy and excited to be there.
The Pretenders are currently in the U.K. on tour through November.
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