I was just watching a couple videos on TMZ of Axl Rose walking offstage after people threw things at him. Now, I know his temper tantrums are legendary, (and they had supposedly gone on 90 minutes late in one of the videos I saw) but I’m gonna have to side with him on this one. It is stupid for people to throw things at a band playing onstage. Why the hell would you do something like that? To ruin the show you paid 50+ bucks to see? One of the times I saw Oasis Noel Gallagher said something to the effect of, “There’s some asshole who has been throwing shit onstage this whole time. You’d better quit now because everyone’ll kick your ass if I refuse to play.” Sure enough, nothing else was thrown onstage.
So, what’s the reason? Drunk? Want the band to look at you and/or acknowledge you? Friend dared you to? Have you ever done it or had any interesting experiences with this?
If you’re looking at videos from their Dublin show recently, it’s (partly) because they were really late going on stage and there is supposed to be an early curfew in that particular venue. Add in general boozing and rowdiness and kablamo. I would guess it happens at most big concerts here, but usually the artists take it in their stride and don’t storm off stage in a huff.
ETA: That whole Dublin concert was a debacle. More here: Music | The Irish Times
Actually, yeah, it was that one. There was one from Brazil, too, where he threatened to walk off but didn’t. Still, Axl’s egomania aside, I’m confused and interested in what people think they get out of throwing objects at bands.
I found the comments section of that article you linked to be quite interesting, most people commenting seemed to think throwing shit was totally normal. Now, I understand being pissed (as in both “angry” and “drunk”) and throwing things, I understand that it often happens at shows, but I can also totally understand the mindset of a performer who doesn’t want to stand in front of 20,000 people and dodge flying objects for 90 minutes.
It started out as a sign of fanatical love for the band. The Beatles were pounded with jelly beans when they toured the US, because reports indicated they liked jelly babies. Americans didn’t know the difference, but the Beatles did: jelly babies were soft; jelly beans were hard. George Harrison hated it and it’s one reason he lost interest in touring.
I think they threw things at Frank Sinatra in the 40s, too.
Madonna hates it too, I have an old VHS of her Blonde Ambition tour where she says to the audience (in a heavy, put-on tough guy accent to go with the section of the show she was performing) “and don’t throw shit on the stage or I’ll kick your ass”.
She also had the added concern (that most bands don’t have) of a huge troupe of dancers, who could get seriously hurt if they were to slip and fall on something that had been thrown onstage.
I was at an arena show where someone in the seats was throwing LIT SPARKLERS into the crowd on the floor!
I don’t blame any musician (even,…gulp…Axl) for stopping a show if something is thrown onstage that could hurt someone.
Read somewhere years ago where someone in the crowd threw a bottle at the band, singer stops song, points out offender to the crowd and tells them to kick the offenders ass. And they did.
I was at a White Zombie concert where a guy threw a show at ROb Zombie. Rob stopped the show, held up the shoe, and asked every to look at their neighbor’s feet and find the guy missing a white reebok. Once he was idenitifed, he lit into him so bad they guy ran for his life and left the venue.
Then Rob totally broke character, smiled, and goes “That was fun!” and goes back to playing.
A couple of things. Irish crowds like their booze (who’d have thunk a stereotype might be true!), also sometimes major bands will only play one Irish gig usually in Dublin which is a long way for a lot of Irish fans to travel. If I travelled on a bus for four hours for a gig, paid $80 for a ticket and something went awry with proceedings I would be annoyed.
I saw White Zombie play back in the day when they were opening for Pantera, and Phil walked onstage during their set looking for some bud from the crowd.
He got a lot.
This was at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. They had ushers to take you to your seat, and a no smoking policy. Yay for anarchy!
I wonder if people really throw their underwear on stage, or if that’s a myth.
In the reverse direction, I once had a guitarist for Alice Cooper throw me a pick. At the exact moment it went up in the air I was blinded by a stage light. It bounced of my head, fell on the floor, and was lunged upon by another fan. Oh well, with my coordination I probably would have missed it anyway.
I saw Iron Maiden perform on Long Island a couple years ago (the same night that Nicko got into an auto “accident” with a security guard) and Bruce stormed off stage when he got hit in the face with a bottle during Run To The Hills, and the band didn’t come back. At least we got about 90 minutes…
Jesus Lizard lead singer David Yow is hit in the head by a bottle and knocked out (at 0:49). He gets up, suggests that the thrower hits the other side of his head “for symmetry” and they finish the song. Judging by the look on the bass players face, the dude who threw the bottle would be in serious trouble if he was identified.
