B.C. band cancels Kindersley, Sask., concert following public outrage over anti-pipeline views

A British Columbia-based musical group has cancelled a scheduled concert in Kindersley, Sask. The decision came after members of the community voiced outrage over the band's political stances.

Small Town Artillery, from Vancouver, was set to perform at Kindersley's Norman Ritchie Community Centre on April 9 as part of their cross-Canada spring tour. The band are vocal advocates of renewable energy and First Nations rights, and often write songs about those issues.

The Norman Ritchie Centre is owned by the Town of Kindersley and run by an independent community-led group called Norman Ritchie Centre Management Inc. 

The band recently attended B.C. rallies in support of the Wet'suwet'en people opposed to a B.C. pipeline project that runs through their territory. 

In February, Small Town Artillery posted a video announcing it would give 50 free tickets for a March concert in Vancouver to "Indigenous land defenders and allies."

Tom Van Deursen, lead singer for the band, said he believes that video escalated the controversy with some Kindersley residents. 

"It seemed to say that we are in support of all disruptions, protests and blockades across the country. And that's hard for me to say because it's such a complex issue and I think some people are taking it too far," Van Deursen said.

"We're not touring this country to start protests, were touring this country to encourage conversation."

'Too much heat'

Patty Brotzel-Close, chairperson of Norman Ritchie Centre Management Inc., called Van Deursen in recent weeks to say the company was getting messages of concern from residents. Businesses that were carrying tickets to the concert stopped because there was "too much heat," according to Van Deursen.

Van Deursen said the venue had heard of threats to cut off the gas to the venue during the concert, and "run [Small Town Artillery] out of town."

Rod Perkins, mayor of Kindersley, also received concerned calls from residents and city councillors. He contacted the venue to suggest the concert be cancelled.

Norman Ritchie Centre Management Inc. phoned Van Deursen on Monday, who also agreed with the cancellation.

"I was only relaying information that I was getting on behalf of the citizens of Kindersley ... I just didn't want this to become a focal point for our community and a battleground," Perkins said.

"My opinion was that there could be bad repercussions."

Oil town

Kindersley has a population of 5,000. As many as 1,000 of them make their living from the oil industry, according to Perkins. 

"This is an oil community. It always has been," he said. 

Perkins said many in Kindersley are concerned with the pressures the oil industry is under.

"You just don't feel that having somebody come in [talking about] doing away with fossil fuels and not needing pipelines is going to get a very receptive audience in this community," said Perkins. 

The community centre management issued a public statement about the decision. 

"We thought it was a great opportunity to bring in some live music for the people of our community. We certainly didn't have any sort of political agenda," the statement read.

"There has been considerable social media backlash against the band as well as our volunteer group. This is quite the opposite of what we had hoped to achieve ... Music is meant to unite, not to divide."

Eye-opening experience

Van Deursen said the experience has been "amazing and eye-opening."

"In British Columbia, we live in such an echo chamber, just like in anywhere you are. And so the views that I carry are born of spending my whole life here around people who are struggling," Van Deursen said.

"I've learned a lot about the amazing things that oil and gas money and culture and society is doing in Saskatchewan ... I know that everybody needs to feel good at something and feed their families and feed themselves. And I think that's worth great respect."

Van Deursen said he would like to eventually visit the town to talk with some of the people that were offended by the group's political stances.

Small Town Artillery will still visit Saskatchewan, with performances scheduled for North Battleford on April 10 and Nipawin on April 11.