Bruce Springsteen cover band the B Street Band will no longer play the Garden State Presidential Inaugural Gala, out of "respect and gratitude we have for Bruce and the E Street Band."
The B Street Band received flak after it was announced that the cover band would play the non-partisan gala (not Trump's actual inauguration, as had been erroneously reported by some outlets). Springsteen has been a vocal opponent of President-elect Donald Trump and critics believed the popular cover band was going against Springsteen's ideals by playing the inaugural event.
New Jersey State Sen. Ray Lesniak, for example, tweeted:
Shame on the #BStreetBand playing at #Trump's inaugural They've profited from #Bruce now they're abandoning the message in his music pic.twitter.com/suw9rjS8SZ
— Senator Ray Lesniak (@SenatorLesniak) January 12, 2017
On Monday, the B Street Band released a statement to Springsteen uber-fan site Backstreets.com, saying it was pulling out of the festivities:
With deepest apologies to our fans and the New Jersey Inaugural Ball committee, the B Street Band is withdrawing from performing at this year's inauguration Gala.
Our decision is based SOLELY on the respect and gratitude we have for Bruce and the E Street Band.
Bruce's music has been the foundation of our livelihood. The B Street Band would not exist without the talents of Bruce and our E Street brothers.
We are most grateful to these rock legends and look forward to many more years of emulating and performing the Forever Music, of Bruce Springsteen.
The B Street Band had played the gala for President Obama's two previous inaugurations, and had been booked to play since 2013. Group leader William Forte referred to the band as non-political. "We got some flak from the others, but nothing like this," he told the Associated Press.
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