Gents, I drilled down pretty deep into this in a earlier (long winded) post, but have a few additional (short) comments.
The country is divided. It’s not getting better. Our common links and connections are fragile and being compromised on a daily basis. Concerts are one of those areas where magnitudes of people can still gather and share their passions, experiences, and (positive) energy, regardless of their background or belief systems. As far as performers are concerned, there’s a diffferce between talking TO your audience (Graham Nash) and talking DOWN to your audience. The goal of a concert should be to have a greater sense of unity and loyality to the artist than before. If this didn’t happen, something is amiss. There is no problem with someone sharing their view of life provided they make EVERYONE in attendance feel welcome, and valued. Stomping around, breaking links and connections, and having your audience feel guilty about foreign policy decisions and government corruption that happened well above their paygrades (or, before they were born) is not showing proper respect for the audience who are just there to show admiration for YOU and your music.
When thousands (or tens of thousands) attend their concerts to celebrate the artist and their work, the musical content (and, comments about all things related to the music) should be "the thing". I take issue with the assumption that it’s THIER concert and they can do what they want. The concert goer paid for tickets. Its a business transaction and the performers is "on the clock". I don’t think many of you would enjoy a restaurant owner walking up to your table and spreading mayo all over your steak "because it’s his business and he can do what he wants to". They have an obligation to deliver for the customer. PAID entertainment should be no different.
