Hedley害羞草研究所檚 frontman suggested Friday that the group害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渋ndefinite hiatus害羞草研究所� may not be permanent as the pop-rockers closed out their tour害羞草研究所檚 final show in Kelowna under a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations.
害羞草研究所淭his is goodnight, not goodbye,害羞草研究所� Jacob Hoggard told boisterous fans. 害羞草研究所淪o stay in our lives. And Kelowna, I will promise I will stay in yours.害羞草研究所�
The floor seats at Prospera Place were mostly filled, but the arena had large empty spaces in the stands.
READ MORE: Hedley withdraws from Junos, plans to discuss 害羞草研究所榟ow we have let some people down害羞草研究所�
READ MORE: Refunds given out for Hedley concerts
The day before the concert, the venue said about 3,000 tickets had sold and shows there tend to hold a maximum of roughly 5,000.
Hoggard has denied ever engaging in non-consensual sexual behaviour, but he admits he has behaved in a way that objectifies women.
The group has been dropped by its management team, blacklisted by scores of radio stations and abandoned by musicians booked as tour openers.
Ahead of the Kelowna show, fans were handing out flyers in support of the band.
Laura Carruthers made 3,000 photocopies asking people to sign a petition urging radio stations to reinstate airplay for the band.
She was in the parking lot outside the arena handing out the pages, which have the phrase #istandforhedley written on them with hearts drawn in red glitter.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檒l always be standing by them. Because it害羞草研究所檚 allegations, it害羞草研究所檚 not actually a charge yet,害羞草研究所� Carruthers said.
Valerie Rivet, who travelled from Ottawa to see her favourite band for the 33rd time, said the accusations against Hoggard haven害羞草研究所檛 been proven, and if they ever are, she would re-evaluate her love of the band.
害羞草研究所淭witter is not a court of law,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淔or now I stand with them.害羞草研究所�
Kris Jerstad was standing outside Prospera Place with two $75 floor seats he was hoping to sell.
He said his daughter bought them months ago, but no longer wanted them after the allegations against Hoggard came to light.
害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 refusing to see them,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪he sticks to what she believes in.害羞草研究所�
Minutes before the show started, Jerstad gave away the tickets to a woman for free and left.
Toronto police have said they are investigating Hoggard, but no charges have been laid.
Online accusations began surfacing last month suggesting inappropriate encounters with young fans.
A 24-year-old Ottawa fan of the band alleged to the CBC in February 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.
The CBC published another report weeks later of a Toronto woman who alleges Hoggard tried to force her to do things without her consent during a sexual encounter in 2016.
A Calgary radio host has also alleged that Hoggard groped her and made lewd remarks to her seven years ago.
In announcing he would be putting his career on hold, Hoggard said he would make real changes in his life, seeking guidance from his family and learning from the 害羞草研究所渁mazing women in my life.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he way I害羞草研究所檝e treated women was reckless and dismissive of their feelings. I understand the significant harm that is caused not only to the women I interacted with, but to all women who are degraded by this type of behaviour,害羞草研究所� he wrote in a statement posted to his Twitter account Feb. 28.
害羞草研究所淚 have been careless and indifferent and I have no excuse. For this I am truly sorry.害羞草研究所�
Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press
