The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde Apologizes (But Not Really) After Backlash To Her Rules For Concertgoers
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Two months ago Chrissie Hynde caused a stir by posting a list of rules for concertgoers at Pretenders shows. In a message shared on her social media accounts, Hynde specified that although she appreciates fans who buy tickets for multiple stops on the same tour, the goal is to play for a different audience every night, so fans who pop up in the front row multiple times may be asked to move to make room for “local faces.”
That’s an unusual policy, and it left many people puzzled, including Justin Hawkins of the Darkness, who critiqued the policy in a video posted to his own social accounts. Hynde made one other request at the same time, requesting that people put their phones away during the show. The phone thing is a much more common sticking point for musicians, and it’s been a pet peeve of Hynde’s for years.
Today, Hynde has apologized for all that. Or at least she described it as an apology. I’m not sure this counts. Here’s what she wrote:
What a year! We had a great tour thanks to you, our audience, for coming to see us. Thank-you SOOOOO much! We can’t do this without you and we cannot thank you enough for being there for us.
As always, I have a few apologies to make….
First of all, I’m sorry that I’ve never adjusted to the phone / filming / picture taking culture. I’ve sworn and berated the very audience that is there for us. There’s no way to explain how distracting it is and why I have a meltdown when I see a phone. Every night I come off stage scolding myself and saying it’s just not worth it and maybe it’s time to hang up the guitar and find another vocation. But I love the band and I love playing live for you. I just don’t’ like being stalked. I see I’m not alone and some venues are now banning phones and many acts are banning them too. Dylan famously has phones sealed in a bag throughout his shows. We post signs around the venues saying please do not use your phones, but some people just cannot resist. Anyway, I do feel baffled and bad about it. I know pop acts encourage phones because they want to be on social media. But we are not a pop act. We’re a rock band ( in case you didn’t notice )
The other thing I said which seems to have caused offense in some quarters is when I asked that anyone who has seen more than a few shows, move back out of the front row and let the locals have the front. I will reinstate that we love to see people come back for more, but we travel the world to play to a new audience each night, so it’s good to see the locals up front. Come one and all…… but be fair!
Oh yeah, and thank you to whoever it was gifted me with a lovely pair of silver music clef earrings. I just found them when clearing out my wardrobe case and I’m wearing them now.
Also I was given some excellent vinyl of some of my favourite artists. Thank You !!!!
So, have a merry Christmas and a happy new year and thank you once again for making it a joyful year for myself and the band entire, and our lovely crew.
Best wishes all round!
XCH
Yeah, the word “sorry” is in there, but it sounds more like Hynde is doubling down, both on the very reasonable phone request and the weirdly specific fixation on getting a variety of fans into the front row. There has to be a backstory involving obsessive Pretenders fans who follow the band around Deadhead style, right?
Check out Hynde’s social post below.
