Ash Costello on inappropriate M&G conduct: “People forget we are human"
New Years Day singer Ash Costello took to Twitter today to discuss issues the band have been facing in regards to meet and greets at their shows.
Costello started off a series of posts by highlighting how some fans make the experience difficult due to inappropriate behaviour including requesting to kiss her or complaining members can’t make it due to physical injuries.
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New Years Day aren’t the only band to experience issues with fans pushing boundaries though. Panic! At The Disco main man Brendon Urie‘s “death walk” where he walks among the crowd during “Death Of A Bachelor” and shakes hands or even hugs them became a topic of discussion after Urie had to threaten to stop doing it.
The band’s tour manager, Zack Hall, tweeted about pulling the move from shows due to fans inappropriately touching Urie during it.
If people keep trying to lick, kiss or do weird creepy shit during the “death walk” we will for sure stop doing it. It’s a fun thing he likes to do and enjoys being that close to you guys, but come on. Have some respect. (It’s called that because he’s walking while singing DOAB)
— zackcloudhall (@ZackCloudHall) February 1, 2019
Despite the warning, the following day another warning had to be made after a fan kissed Urie’s neck during the set. Hall then made it clear fans doing things like this would just be kicked out of the show.
Just a heads up folks. I’m done with this crap of kissing Brendon during the “death walk”. If I see it, you will be kicked out of the show right away. The end.
— zackcloudhall (@ZackCloudHall) February 2, 2019
Now, the New Years Day member is highlighting issues surrounding fans hugging the band at meet and greets. At the moment, coronavirus is spreading around Europe and guitarist Nikki Misery has apparently hurt his ankle, yet some fans have complained about the format of meet and greets despite these issues.
Poll. We can’t hug 100 people after a show due to a virus spreading around Europe and UK. Would you rather us cancel the entire meet and greet, or still do it and no hugs?
— ☠┼ Ash Costello ┼☠ (@Ash_Costello) February 26, 2020
Poll. Nikki Hurt his ankle and is in his pain. Would you rather enjoy our meet and greet even tho he can’t make it due to pain? Or complain about the meet and greet cause the whole band is wasn’t present?
— ☠┼ Ash Costello ┼☠ (@Ash_Costello) February 26, 2020
I can’t with people who don’t treat bands like they’re people. We aren’t slaves. We feel pain, get sick and get tired, just like the rest of the world.
— ☠┼ Ash Costello ┼☠ (@Ash_Costello) February 26, 2020
While Costello is trying to raise a point of certain fans being over demanding, she also points out that she wants to do more for fans but simply can’t.
For a meet and greet would you rather I went to your house and had cofffee with you? I mean, I WOULD do that but some shit just isn’t possible and 99.9% of the time it has NOTHING to do with the actual BAND.
— ☠┼ Ash Costello ┼☠ (@Ash_Costello) February 26, 2020
The singer also raises the point that some fans have made extremely inappropriate remarks asking if they can kiss her at these events.
Ive legit had people complain how they couldn’t kiss me in a photo at meet and greets. And the fans wonder why bands don’t do met and greets AT ALL. Guess ya just cant please everyone despite trying,
— ☠┼ Ash Costello ┼☠ (@Ash_Costello) February 26, 2020
She also raises a very good point about petty complaints that get raised and make bands feel they can’t win over every fan.
So are just over here, over seas, don’t our best to meet every person despite the odds and things that go wrong and it just feels like sometimes people forget we are HUMAN. and sometimes shit is out of our hands. And we STILL do our best. we just can’t make 100% everyone happy.
— ☠┼ Ash Costello ┼☠ (@Ash_Costello) February 26, 2020
Oh look! There’s a table present!!!!!! (So we can sign autographs on something! ) can’t believe someone complain there was a table there ? https://t.co/kWU9JautqA
— ☠┼ Ash Costello ┼☠ (@Ash_Costello) February 26, 2020
Do you think meet and greets should still be a thing bands offer their fans? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.