The Cadillac Three, Charles Esten Ready to Support UK Fans Through Live Music Following Manchester Attack
Both the Cadillac Three and Charles Esten say they're eager to tour the UK and bring live music to those affected by the Monday night (May 22) attack outside an Ariana Grande concert. On Twitter, the band and the actor have offered their condolences to their British fans, and reiterated their excitement to perform overseas in the coming weeks.
On June 11, the Cadillac Three are scheduled to perform at the Download Festival, which takes place in Donington, England. After a fan tweeted the band begging them to not cancel their appearance at the event, TC3 responded that they "stand with y'all now and we will be there in a couple weeks."
"Every now and then, [the thought of a terrorist attack happening at a concert] does cross my mind ... You try to not let it get to you because if you do that, obviously they win — the crazies win," the country trio's Jaren Johnston told CMT in 2016. "You can’t think like that ... Otherwise, those idiots win.”
Esten, meanwhile, is scheduled to begin a European tour with other members of the Nashville cast on June 9; the trek includes at stop at Manchester Arena, where Grande's concert took place, on June 17. On Tuesday morning (May 23), Esten wrote on Twitter that he was "sending prayers of love, strength & healing from NASHVILLE to Manchester," and added, "Soon we'll bring them in person."
As of publication time, concerts scheduled for Thursday (May 25), Friday (May 26) and Saturday (May 27) at Manchester Arena have been canceled; no other schedule changes have been announced. Lady Antebellum are scheduled to stop at the arena in October.
Just minutes after Grande’s concert at Manchester Arena concluded on Monday night, a bomb of some sort was detonated outside of the venue, killing 22 people and injuring 59 people (so far). The New York Post reports that extremist terrorist group ISIS has taken responsibility for the attack, issuing a statement on its social media channels. The person who set off the device -- who has now been identified as 22-year-old Salman Abedi, per the New York Times -- died in the attack, but Greater Manchester Police have also arrested an unnamed 23-year-old man in South Manchester in connection with the incident.
A number of country artists have shared condolences to those affected by the incident in Manchester, and voiced their feelings about such an attack occurring outside of a concert venue; others have responded to some of the insensitive rhetoric surrounding the incident. Brent Cobb, who is scheduled to play in Manchester on Tuesday night (May 23), has announced that his show will go on as planned.
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