The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is officially full swing. Part of the 10-day event includes nightly musical performances. This weekend, Smash Mouth kicked things off as thousands of bikers attended the concert.
Footage from the concert online shows massive crowds gathering at the 80th annual event in South Dakota. In the clip, most concertgoers seem to show disregard for the current health and safety recommendations.
Smash Mouth frontman Steve Harwell made his feelings regarding performing in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic well understood. “We’re all here together tonight!” Harwell said. “F— that COVID s—.”
After footage of the concert surfaced online, thousands of users weighed in with their reactions. Many Twitter users slammed the band and those in attendance.
“Hello, there is no musician or band worth risking your health and the health of those around you to see in concert, especially Smash Mouth!” one user writes. “*The years start coming and they don’t stop coming*…*unless you get Covid-19 at a Smash Mouth concert,” another user tweeted. Check out more reactions below:
Smash Mouth Band Manager Speaks Out About the Concert
Despite the backlash, Smash Mouth’s band manager, Robert Hayes, says the band went to great lengths to ensure concertgoers’ safety. “The promoter did a fantastic job with their Covid protocol. They had a very strict social distancing and mask policy in place for all workers,” Hayes tells Billboard.
Hayes continued by adding: “Everything backstage was sanitized, etc. The band has their own Covid addendum to their rider as well and the promoter and venue adhered to all of our requests. We spent endless hours advancing this event to make sure that it was pulled off as safely as possible and we are very happy with the outcome.”
Smash Mouth joins a handful of other bands set to perform at Sturgis. The list includes the likes of Trapt, Buckcherry, Drowning Pool, Night Ranger, Reverend Horton Heat, Lit, 38 Special, Quiet Riot, and Big Skillet.
Organizers for this year’s rally estimate 250,000 motorcycle enthusiasts plan to attend. The festival features a number of attractions including motorcycle shows and a roller derby.
[H/T Consequence of Sound]
