COMMENTARY | Arkansas is no stranger to bad weather but its 20-plus inches of snow accumulation and state of emergency status did not deter Kid Rock and some of his fans. The "Born Free" concert was held Wednesday night at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock despite the serious road hazards. The question for some is whether Rock made the right choice, and if he carefully considered the interest of his fans and state host.
The traveling situation is serious enough to warrant the call of 50 Arkansas National Guardsmen to assist the State police with stranded motorists. The sub-zero temperatures alone are a threat. Walmart Headquarters in Bentonville was effectively shut down, as are airports.
Two traffic-related deaths have been reported so far, one involving a tractor-tailor rig collision with a small automobile.
In a region where thermal undergarments, snowmobiles and 4-wheel drive are not a way of life -- as it is in Rock's home state of Michigan -- looking out the window and its post-blizzard landscape was ample testament enough for many citizens that travel was risky to impossible.
One of many fans had this to say about Rock's pre-concert status:
"Very, very bad idea to continue on with this concert," a poster identified on the site as MC Haynes wrote on Arkansas Online. "Someone will get hurt or killed trying to make it through this foot of snow that's fallen in the past 4 hours."
For Rock's part, despite Arkansas's state of emergency status, fans that made it to the show --and some who did not --respect the entertainer for not bailing out.
Twitter and fan sites give testimony to both grateful fans and those who thought the decision was less than sage.
In an age where the work ethic in the entertainment industry could justify rescheduling a concert for a bad hair day, determination is a good thing. Kid Rock has never missed a concert date.
And, to be honest, Little Rock is off the radar for many concert tours.
Consequently, against their better judgment, fans may feel pressed to make a hazardous trek to see a good, if not exceptional, performer.
The entertainment industry is not a leader in good judgment, many realize; the recent performance of Christina Aguilera at the Super Bowl is case in point. Despite her history of mistakes with the National Anthem, the decision makers failed to appreciate the risks.
Though this star-studded choice -- unsettling the patriotic, including members of the U.S. military, did not pose a threat to life and limb.
One could argue that Rock's decision to not cancel the "Born Free" show did so indirectly and was otherwise irresponsible, if not "greedy."
Update: Kid Rock posted a response to Arkansas fans on his website
An excerpt:
"It's this simple, If you bought tix to tonights show and can't make it, YOU WILL BE GETTING A REFUND, STRAIGHT OUT OF MY POCKET. I've never ripped any of my fans off, EVER!!! " [sic]
"I know there are people who drove here from Memphis and Oklahoma, been in there cars all day driving and dealing with this sh**** weather, the same as me and my band have the WHOLE TOUR. You so called "fans" on my website b**chin and moanin and saying i'm greedy, can GO F*** YOURSELVES, plain and simple" [sic].
Donna Porter writes about Arkansas for the Yahoo! Contributor Network.
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