What’s up with some fans acting like a**holes at concerts? We go to concerts to enjoy live music from our favorite artists. But some people out there seem to have forgotten the basic rules of decency and are ruining the experience for everyone.
This has been happening all over, and there have been several instances that made national news. Artists have been injured by thrown objects, and believe it or not, in one instance, human ashes were thrown on stage. Seriously. Human. Ashes.
Recently, country artist Kelsea Ballerini was performing in Idaho when someone thought it was a great idea to throw a bracelet at her. She had to leave the stage, but she returned to tell the audience to stop throwing things. The next day, she took to social media and shared, “someone threw a bracelet, it hit me in the eye, and it scared me more than it hurt me.”
Just a few days earlier, Bebe Rexha got smacked in the face with a cell phone during her concert in New York City. She had to leave the stage and ended up at the hospital, where she received three stitches. She reassured her fans on Instagram that she was okay, but she also posted a photo of her bruised eye. The person who threw the phone apparently thought it would be “funny,” thinking she would take a selfie and throw it back. Well, that person is now facing a felony assault charge.
As dangerous as those situations were, Ava Max had an even scarier incident. During her concert in Los Angeles, a man managed to breach the stage, rush her, and slap her in the face. Thankfully, that was the extent of it. TMZ reported that the man claims it was an accident and he was just trying to hug her.
For something truly bizarre, Pink was performing in London when a fan threw a bag of ashes on the stage. Human ashes. Pink, understandably confused, asked the fan, “Is this your mom? I don’t know how to feel about this.”
While throwing things on stage isn’t entirely new, it used to be more common with flowers and underwear, not objects that could cause injury. The stranger objects being thrown were typically seen at heavy metal and punk concerts, not pop or country shows. Ozzy Osbourne used to throw raw meat at the audience, and they would throw crazy things back like live snakes, dead rats, and animal parts. But that was over 40 years ago. Ozzy famously bit the head off a live bat that someone threw on stage. He thought it was a rubber bat and instantly regretted it when he realized it was real. He had to go to the hospital to begin a series rabies shots.
Obviously, we were all stuck at home for a while, thanks to the whole COVID-19 thing. Maybe some people forgot how to act around others. But honestly, I don’t understand how that translates into throwing things at the performers you came to see, especially when it could potentially end the show. Concerts are meant to be a time to have fun and enjoy the music.
Security can’t be everywhere at once. It’s up to us, the fans, to keep an eye out. If you’re at a concert and you see someone about to throw something, step up and intervene. Speak up or get security involved. Be safe, but don’t just be a bystander. We all have a role to play in creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone.
Respect the artists and respect each other. Don’t be the person who ruins the experience for everyone else. Instead, be the fan who spreads positive energy and shows appreciation for the incredible talent up on that stage.
