Kelsea Ballerini didn't mince words slamming Chase Rice for holding a concert this weekend where social distancing protocols weren't necessarily being followed. "Imagine being selfish enough to put thousands of people’s health at risk, not to mention the potential ripple effect, and play a NORMAL country concert right now," Ballerini tweeted, along with video from the event that showed a packed, cheering crowd. She then tagged Rice's Twitter handle and added, "We all want (and need) to tour. We just care about our fans and their families enough to wait." The venue where Rice played, the Historic Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Petros, Tennessee, released a statement toEntertainment Tonightthat read, "All local requirements were abided by for the recent concert, and numerous precautions were taken."
Chase Rice isn't the only country star facing backlash over a live show. Chris Janson performed at the Hwy 30 Fest in Filer, Idaho, on Saturday night. Although the "Done" singer originally thanked the crowd on his Instagram Story, alongside video showing a packed audience, the posts were later deleted. It was unclear what safety protocols were in place, although one attendee toldVarietythat they ”personally saw one person wearing a mask the entire day, and that was a merch seller. Even vendors and staff were not wearing masks throughout the night.” Janson's Idaho show reportedly drew 2,800 people, where Rice drew 1,000. At any rate, Janson's Twitter account also appeared to be blocking people who posted about the show, as Maren Morris--who toured with the artist in 2017 and merely retweeted a critical tweet about the show without comment--tweeted a screenshot showing she was blocked and asked, "What did I DO?" "Omg!! I have no idea," Janson responded to her tweet. "Love you & your husband. Definitely was a mistake."
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