Band cancels concert

A Spokane band canceled a July 16 Riverstone-area concert, citing what their leader said was concern for bandmates and fans.

“Idaho has always shown love and respect to me personally, as well as our band,” Max Daniels, frontman for the R&B group Nu Jack City, said in a statement. “They have hired this band repeatedly over the past 16-plus years. We are blessed to have these opportunities: bringing Motown to their neighborhood. We love Idaho and the thousands of people who have supported and came in contact with us.”

The concert was part of the Summer Concert Series at Riverstone, a weekly event put on by the Coeur d’Alene Arts and Culture Alliance.

Each concert is sponsored by different groups or businesses.

The July 16 concert featuring Nu Jack City was sponsored by the Kootenai County Democrats. That sponsorship drew the ire of some online, who noted the widespread cancellation of community events over the course of the summer, from Car d’Lane to the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce’s fireworks show.

Some comments called for readers to come to the concert to disrupt the music, hold a competing rally in support of President Donald Trump, and turn the event into a Second Amendment rally.

Daniels said because he was unsure about the motivations of some people who posted comments on social media, Nu Jack City canceled the event.

Daniels also said no one has made racist or otherwise-disparaging remarks directly toward Nu Jack City.

In a statement Friday evening from City Hall, Mayor Steve Widmyer and the City Council expressed anger at the factors that led to Nu Jack City’s decision.

“First let us state our profound sadness that any visitor or resident of our city would feel less than welcome,” the statement reads. “We are a city with a rich history of standing up for all people to be treated with dignity and respect. We have an unshakeable commitment to celebrate and honor diversity and dignity for all. Let us be perfectly clear. We do not support any activity or statements that are racist or unkind to others. We are a city that strongly supports human rights and civil rights. We do not support or condone hate crimes or malicious harassment, and we will always stand on the side of justice for all.”