Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard refused to soften his bandB次元官网网址檚 frat boy persona on Thursday as they played their first show since announcing plans for an B次元官网网址渋ndefinite hiatusB次元官网网址� in the wake of recent sexual assault and misconduct allegations.

The singer didnB次元官网网址檛 spend any time acknowledging the apology he issued a day earlier on social media for what he called B次元官网网址渞eckless and dismissiveB次元官网网址� treatment of women throughout his career.

Instead, Hoggard paused for a moment to thank fans for their unwavering support but spent more time playing into the bandB次元官网网址檚 trademark antics with thinly veiled sexual innuendoes.

None of it appeared to faze the Brampton, Ont. crowd who filled about two-thirds of the 5,000-seat venue and responded with enthusiastic cheers.

At one point in the show Hoggard encouraged fans to hold the hand of a friend next to them and profess their interest in having the other person serve them B次元官网网址渂reakfast.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淏ecause, baby, youB次元官网网址檙e my most important meal of the day,B次元官网网址� Hoggard added, which seemed to imply oral sex.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know what that means. I just made it up. Ow!B次元官网网址� he added before quickly moving on.

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During another break in the set he called out a young woman near the front who he saw texting during his performance. He jokingly confiscated her phone and rifled through the contacts, stopping briefly on one labelled B次元官网网址淒ad.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲hoB次元官网网址檚 dad?B次元官网网址� Hoggard asked. B次元官网网址淒ad? Is that what you call him?B次元官网网址�

He then asked whether her father was in the audience.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 here? Of, course heB次元官网网址檚 here,B次元官网网址� he said before flipping through the names further and settling on the fanB次元官网网址檚 aunt. He gave her a quick phone call to the excitement of the audience.

Those moments were in contrast to a statement by Hedley on Wednesday which promised to B次元官网网址渢ake a long hard look in the mirrorB次元官网网址� and do some B次元官网网址渟oul-searchingB次元官网网址� in response to their past behaviour.

A 24-year-old Ottawa fan of the band alleged to the CBC that she was sexually assaulted by Hoggard after chatting with him on the dating app Tinder and agreeing to meet him at a hotel in Toronto. HoggardB次元官网网址檚 lawyer Brian Shiller said in a statement that the woman and the Hedley frontman had B次元官网网址渕ade a mutual plan to get together to have sex and they did just that.B次元官网网址�

Katie Summers, a radio host in Calgary, came forward on Wednesday with a new sexual misconduct allegation saying Hoggard made a comment after an interview about performing oral sex on him before grabbing her buttocks.

The groupB次元官网网址檚 members responded saying they were B次元官网网址渢ruly sorry, as individuals and as a band, to anyone who has been negatively affected by our behaviourB次元官网网址� and added they decided to continue on with their 15 scheduled concerts for the sake of their crew and others who B次元官网网址渄epend on this tour for their livelihood.B次元官网网址�

Hoggard also released his own statement saying he has B次元官网网址渘ever engaged in non-consensual sexual behaviour,B次元官网网址� but acknowledged he B次元官网网址渂ehaved in a way that objectified womenB次元官网网址� and was B次元官网网址渞eckless and dismissive of their feelings.B次元官网网址�

Fans outside the venue before the concert said they were standing by their band unless they saw evidence they considered more reliable.

Israel Sitzer said she planned to scream louder than ever in support of Hedley.

B次元官网网址淚 think youB次元官网网址檙e innocent until proven guilty,B次元官网网址� the Scarborough, Ont. resident said.

B次元官网网址淪o I hold onto that because I know what itB次元官网网址檚 like to be accused of something you didnB次元官网网址檛 do. Especially when (Hoggard says in his apology), B次元官网网址極h, IB次元官网网址檝e objectified womenB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� every rocker has, on a more real note. Until something comes out that says he did it or heB次元官网网址檚 guilty of it, IB次元官网网址檓 going to support him.B次元官网网址�

Another fan named Audrey weighed the possibility of skipping the concert after she bought tickets long before the allegations surfaced. She decided since sheB次元官网网址檇 already paid for seats, she might as well stick with plans to attend the show with her mother as a chaperone.

B次元官网网址淢aybe I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have bought the tickets if I knew about the accusations,B次元官网网址� Audrey said, declining to give her last name on her motherB次元官网网址檚 advice.

B次元官网网址淭onight itB次元官网网址檚 about the music.B次元官网网址�

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Near the end of the concert Hoggard seemed to subtly acknowledge the worsening storm of recent weeks, which saw HedleyB次元官网网址檚 management sever ties, radio stations pull their music and one venue cancel plans to host an upcoming concert. Some fans have also requested refunds for their tickets.

Hoggard thanked the audience for B次元官网网址渂elieving and standing behind usB次元官网网址� and said that B次元官网网址渟ometimes life sucks.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚f you didnB次元官网网址檛 show up here we couldnB次元官网网址檛 play here. YouB次元官网网址檙e the reason we fight, the reason we sing,B次元官网网址� he said.

The singer also promised this wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be the last time Hedley would visit Brampton, suggesting the hiatus will indeed be temporary.

As the show ended, Public EnemyB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 Believe the HypeB次元官网网址� played over the auditorium speakers as the crowd filed out.

David Friend, The Canadian Press

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