Getting booed by a crowd of frustrated fans was likely not how the US band The Killers imagined leaving the stage during their much-anticipated concert in the city of Shekvetili, in the Southern Caucasus country of Georgia. But this is exactly what happened after the band's lead, Brandon Flowers, brought a drummer from the crowd on stage, as has by now become a tradition at the band's concerts, to play the song “For Reasons Unknown.” But when Flowers, noting his lack of knowledge around Georgia-Russian relations and etiquette, announced to the crowd of fans that the drummer was Russian, asking them whether they were “OK with a Russian coming up here?” Booing ensued, followed by some of the fans walking out of the concert venue in protest. Flowers attempted to calm down the crowd by saying, “You can’t recognize if someone’s your brother? He’s not your brother? We all separate on the borders of our countries? Am I not your brother, being from America?” This only infuriated the crowd even more. Having fought a war with Georgia in 2008 and with its ongoing war against Ukraine, Russia and its citizens are not popular in Georgia right now — to put it lightly. The band later issued an apology to the people of Georgia. The Killers may have arrived in Georgia without having the slightest idea of the historical and political context, but they sure were brought up to speed after the concert. pic.twitter.com/mfuAf2I8xb — The Killers (@thekillers) August 15, 2023 Despite Flowers's attempts to reconcile with the crowd, the concert ended abruptly without the band saying goodbye to the fans. The Killers were booed during a concert in Georgia after bringing a Russian fan onstage as a guest drummer. pic.twitter.com/s8zPSEakb1 — Newsweek Culture (@NewsweekCulture) August 17, 2023 Held at the Black Sea Arena in Shekvetili, Adjara, the incident was widely reported both in Georgian media and internationally: The Killers left the Black Sea Arena stage amid protests from the audience. #Russia|n drummer at The Killers concert spoke about the Russian-#Georgia|n “friendship”, which caused public protests pic.twitter.com/FX955wolyO — Mtavari TV (@MtavariChannel) August 15, 2023 “The Killers support the killers,” wrote political movement Shame in a lengthy post critical of the band and its decision “to champion Russian-Georgian ‘friendship’” on the platform X (formerly known as Twitter). In this setting, artists must acquaint themselves intimately with the venues of their performances and the broader sociopolitical landscapes. This mindfulness becomes crucial to avert their actions from glorifying a state their audience perceives as a symbol of terror. The recollections of families torn apart lives shattered, and futures robbed continue to serve as stark reminders of the darkness that Russia inflicted upon our land, read the statement by the Shame movement. The concert venue also issued an apology, saying it “did not share” Flower’s views, according to OC Media reporting. There were also controversy around the venue and the concert itself in the run-up to the event. According to reports, the Killers were invited as part of the Starring Georgia campaign, introduced in April 2023, which was framed as “an opportunity to put Georgia on the map of international event calendars as a new destination.” The campaign/festival's venue — Black Sea Arena — was formerly linked to an off-shore registered company Limestone Finance International. According to a 2021 report by Transparency International Georgia chapter, Limestone Finance International was owned by the Georgian billionaire and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili is a key figure in Georgian politics. He made his fortune in the pre-Putin era in Russia and founded the Georgian Dream party in 2012. While Ivanishvili publicly announced his decision to leave politics in 2021, some believe he is still calling the shots behind the scenes.