The Kaiser Chiefs didn’t predict a riot in response to their vaccine-related audience participation during their Isle of Wight festival set – but it has certainly made some noise on Twitter.
It all began when a video clip was shared on Twitter by disgruntled viewer Sara. It showed a recording of her TV screen while watching a Kaiser Chief concert. In typical frontman style, lead singer Ricky Wilson engaged with the crowd to get them amped up.
Ricky got the audience going by asking them all to put their hands in the air - “Let’s see your hands again, they’re all clean hands - you’ve been washing them?”
To which the crowd cheered in response and Ricky then turned the conversation to Covid vaccines.
He shouted: “Let me hear you, if you’ve had the Pfizer vaccine!”
There was an even bigger roar in response - but Sara was not happy, and can be heard in the background saying, “For f**k sake.”
Ricky then asked: “Let me hear it for Moderna!” followed by: “AstraZeneca?!”
@KaiserChiefs I was a fan of yours until this very moment. #cult pic.twitter.com/fMabItP04X
— Sara (@Sa32689038) September 19, 2021
On both occasions, the crowd screamed further.
But Ricky wasn’t finished yet and added: “Let’s hear it for the anti-vaxxers!” Which resorted to the crowd booing.
“Unbelievable,” Sara can be heard muttering in the background.
“That’s very good,” Ricky laughed and asked the crowd to put their hands in the air again.
“You’ve got clean hands, I can see that’s good. We’re spraying you with gel at the end,” he joked before resuming with his music.
Within the tweet, Sara wrote: “@KaiserChiefs I was a fan of yours until this very moment. #cult”
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Since then, the video has been making rounds online, and similar to Sara, some people have shared their anger at Ricky’s vaccine interactions - so much so that “The Kaiser Chiefs” began trending on Twitter.
Of course, Laurence Fox joined in on the debate.
It’s definitely not a cult. pic.twitter.com/v0RxhFONOS
— Laurence Fox ✌🏼🇬🇧✌🏼 (@LozzaFox) September 20, 2021
Another Twitter user went as far as to compare the interaction to Germany in the 1930s.
If you ever wondered how Germany found itself full of hate in 1930s...
— Lange (@djlange) September 20, 2021
'Let me see your clean hands' ~ Kaiser Chiefs. 🤮 https://t.co/gRxf1161Fh
Similarly, someone else described the Kaiser Chiefs as “cringe, cult crap” and added that they should change their name to “The Pfizer Chiefs.”
What in the cringe cult is this crap? Good lord rock and roll is dead. Kaiser Chiefs to change their name to Psfizer Chiefs I guess.🤦♂️ barfpic.twitter.com/nk7uANiSop
— Five Times August (@FiveTimesAugust) September 20, 2021
Meanwhile another person really hit the band where it hurt by saying, “they used to predict a riot.”
The Kaiser Chiefs used to predict a riot. Now they ask their fans what brand of medicine they've been coerced to consume.
— Stephen Blackford 🌸 (@SteveBlackford) September 19, 2021
All very rock'n'roll chaps.
Congratulations.
Someone else described the band as a “bunch of sellouts” and added: “Pretty sad that you sold your soul to Big Pharma.”
To be honest, “Kaiser Chiefs” and “Big Pharma” are not exactly two entities we would ever associate with one other, but here we are.
Kaiser Chiefs blocking comments on their posts. Gee i wonder why after their concert promoting big pharma. Bunch of sell outs. Pathetic really. Pretty sad when you have to sell your soul to big pharma. https://t.co/TaoXC4HQDw
— PC (@boundagebyblue) September 20, 2021
Apparently, the Kaiser Chiefs are on Bill Gates’ payroll - who knew?
Why is Bill Gates paying the Kaiser Chiefs? Couldn't he find someone with a higher profile and a bigger global reach?
— Katie Graham (@KateMayGraham) September 20, 2021
On the other hand, other people were cracking up at some of the replies with anti-vaxx sentiments and actually love the band more for winding them up.
One person found the concept of Bill Gates paying the band pretty hilarious.
I am amused by the Angry People being angry with the Kaiser Chiefs for doing some topical audience participation. People actually suggesting that Bill Gates paid them to do it.
— Bob (@oneshotbobby) September 20, 2021
I like the idea that Bill Gates thinks getting a one hit wonder band from the 2000s, AND ONLY THEM, on board would sway the masses. https://t.co/CIGhIOPGhA
— Mighty Meatlegs (@Meatlegs1) September 20, 2021
I like the idea that Bill Gates thinks getting a one hit wonder band from the 2000s, AND ONLY THEM, on board would sway the masses. https://t.co/CIGhIOPGhA
— Mighty Meatlegs (@Meatlegs1) September 20, 2021
the UK, France, Canada and the Kaiser Chiefs, specifically, bought out by bill gates https://t.co/TQHjDxHx0g
— Lewis (@lewisandstuff) September 20, 2021
For some, the whole debate seems to have re-sparked an interest in the English indie rock band.
I watched the Kaiser Chiefs clip that's got the Anti-Vaxxers riled. It's the sort of on-the-hoof-gee-up-the-crowd banter Ricky Wilson always does, it's just about vaccines cos that's what everyone's talking about these days. As conspiracy evidence goes it's, well, not.
— Marc Burrows (@20thcenturymarc) September 20, 2021
I find myself now defending the Kaiser Chiefs, which is new.
— Friendly Neighbourhood Scooter-Man #scoot300 (@AdamDidThat) September 20, 2021
