Over the weekend in Nashville, the usually energetic Kid Rock cut his performance short and exited the stage in apparent frustration after feeling the audience’s lack of engagement during a song at a local Nashville bar.
The incident occurred Saturday night when the “Bawitdaba” singer made a surprise appearance at a birthday celebration for David Bryan, the keyboardist for Bon Jovi. The party was held at Bon Jovi’s own Nashville establishment, creating a unique atmosphere for the evening.
Kid Rock joined the band on stage, which included Bryan himself, to perform a rendition of “Proud Mary,” the classic hit by Creedence Clearwater Revival. However, about halfway through the song, the performance came to an unexpected halt.
“F*** them,” Kid Rock exclaimed, signaling to the band to stop playing. “Hey, hey, stop… if you ain’t gonna clap, we ain’t gonna sing. That’s how it’s gonna go.”
In an attempt to encourage audience participation, Kid Rock began clapping demonstratively above his head, visibly showing the crowd the level of energy he expected. The band restarted “Proud Mary,” and while some attendees responded by clapping along, it seemed the overall audience participation still didn’t meet Kid Rock’s expectations.
He stopped the song a second time, stating more emphatically, “You know what, f*** y’all. You ain’t gonna clap, I’m gone.” True to his word, Kid Rock then left the stage. Despite his abrupt departure, the band continued to play and entertain the party guests.
This Nashville appearance comes after Kid Rock’s performance earlier this year as part of the inaugural events for President Trump in January, where he performed a four-song set. Looking ahead, fans can anticipate Kid Rock embarking on tour in March with Chris Janson and Uncle Kracker, followed by the “Rock the Country” tour with Nickelback starting in April.
Read More: Kid Rock, Nickelback, Hank Jr. to headline US 2025 Rock the Country Festival tour
For more information on Kid Rock and his upcoming events, visit kidrock.com.
