JOAN JETT ‘Would Not Feel Comfortable’ Playing Stadium Shows During Coronavirus Pandemic

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SiriusXM hosted a virtual town hall with Joan Jett and record producer Kenny Laguna to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Jett's "Bad Reputation". Hosted by Mark Goodman and Alan Light, the town hall aired last night, May 20, at 7 p.m. ET on Volume channel 106. Asked how she feels about the prospect of playing stadium shows during the coronavirus pandemic, Joan said (see video below): "I would not feel comfortable doing that — I just wouldn't. I wouldn't feel comfortable putting the band or my crew in that position. I don't really have that right to mess with their lives like that. "I'm not saying it's an easy decision," she explained. "I know people are struggling all over the country with what to do and how to do it. "Of course I wanna play. As soon as we can do it, let's figure out a way to do it. I've heard there's some ideas with drive-in, like a drive-in movie, where you can still see live music and you're in your car. That's a step, and that's a step I'd enjoy taking. But it's still not people together. And that's gonna take a while. "When people feel safe to be together, I would hope that we'll all feel the same way," she added. "I can't make decisions for other people as well. If things are safe, I would be into it. But, obviously, that means testing and all that stuff. And I have had my tests. But you've gotta keep doing it." JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS are scheduled to embark on "The Stadium Tour" next month with MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD and POISON. On May 1, the four acts released a joint statement saying that their goal was to "have an official update to everyone by June 1 outlining exactly how" they will proceed. "The Stadium Tour" is currently scheduled to kick off on June 18 in Jacksonville, Florida. The 31-date trek will mark the CRÜE's first live dates since wrapping its 2014/2015 farewell tour, although it seems highly unlikely that large public gatherings will be viable again by the time the tour is slated to begin. More than 4.8 million coronavirus cases have been reported worldwide and more than 329,000 deaths so far, putting public health systems and emergency services under immense pressure. U.S. officials have repeatedly urged Americans to heed what federal, state and local officials are asking of them in order to curtail the spread and dampen the impact of the virus on the population. In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of concerts and festivals have either been postponed or canceled, as social distancing and self-quarantining make performing live music and attending live shows all but impossible.