Shinedown frontman Brent Smith has clarified his recent remarks about playing live, just a few days after he seemingly suggested that the band would tour this summer as planned no matter what.
Shinedown's spring North American “Deep Dive Tour” was postponed to the summer once the pandemic broke out, and Smith told Zippo Encore earlier this week, “As of right now, that’s all a go. So we’re not backing off of that rescheduled timeline.” Smith later added, “We wanna do everything safely and we wanna go by the professionals in the medical community . . . but you can’t stay inside forever.”
Now Smith has issued a clarification after some fans misconstrued his position to mean that Shinedown would perform this summer against health officials' advice.
In a post on social media, Smith wrote, “I'd like to clear up any misunderstanding about our touring plans that may be out there as some of my comments were a little misconstrued recently in the midst of trying to stay positive in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He continued, “We'd like you all to know that while we can't wait to play for you and see all of you on the road again, we will only do so when it's safe. The health and wellness of our fans is what's most important and something we take very seriously.”
Smith told us that he had a message of advice and hope for fans: “Don't stay online all day long. Get out. Get in the sunlight. Go for a walk. Go for a run. Reset. I've said this for many years, and it holds true even more now than ever: it is never goodbye, it's just 'til next time, and we'll see you all really soon.”
If it's not canceled or postponed again, Shinedown's summer tour is slated to run from July 31st through September 12th. The “Deep Dive Tour” promises deep cuts and B-sides from throughout Shinedown's career, along with the group's many radio hits.