Concert abuse in the 2020s
Bad fan behaviour has interfered with the performances of artists such as Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, the Killers, Miley Cyrus, Rubén Albarrán, Gerard Way, Maroon 5, Mac DeMarco, and Rosalía, among others.
Billie Eilish, Finneas O'Connell, Jason Derulo, Charlie Puth, Kelly Hansen, Tim McGraw, Chappell Roan, and John Mayer have all condemned the behaviour.
[1] In the 1840s, fans of Hungarian composer Franz Liszt engaged in outrageous behavior known as Lisztomania, which was considered a real contagious medical condition at the time.
In 2004, David Bowie had to pause a show after a projectile lollipop hit his eye,[7] and in a separate incident, Dimebag Darrell was killed on-stage by an armed fan.
[3] In 2005, Pierre Bouvier was hospitalized after receiving a bottle to the eye at an Ovation Music Festival concert, prompting his band Simple Plan to cancel an appearance at ReAct Now: Music & Relief,[8] and the following year, Brendon Urie was bruised and knocked out by a bottle at Reading Festival, resuming "The Only Difference Between Suicide and Martyrdom Is Press Coverage" after regaining consciousness.
[9] In 2010, Tila Tequila received a cut to the face that drew blood while performing at Gathering of the Juggalos, and later had the windows of her SUV smashed by an angry mob.
[10] In May 2013, Toots Hibbert commenced a three-year break after developing anxiety, memory loss, headaches, dizziness, enochlophobia, and stage fright after a bottle hit him in the head at an American festival performance,[11] for which the thrower was imprisoned for six months;[12] and in 2016, Christina Grimmie was killed after a concert.
Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, the Killers, Miley Cyrus, Rubén Albarrán, Gerard Way, Maroon 5, Mac DeMarco, and Rosalía had dolls thrown at them over the following fifteen months.
Shortly after the incident, she acquired a sinus infection and took the opportunity to take a break from performing in general, necessitating the rescheduling of several dates of her Sling Tour.
[37] The following day, a New Jersey man threw his cell phone at Bebe Rexha while she was performing her Best F*n Night of my Life Tour at Pier 17 in South Street Seaport, giving her a black eye and laceration.
[38] Two days later, a man jumped on stage and slapped Ava Max at a Fonda Theatre "On Tour (Finally)" concert,[39] prompting the show's planned meet and greet to be delayed by an hour.
[41] On 24 June, Sexyy Red ended her performance at that year's Summer Smash festival early after having objects thrown at her; six days later, she would chastise an audience at Detroit's Wild Mustang Gentleman's Club for throwing money at her.
[43] Also on 28 June 2023, during the Idaho Botanical Garden leg of her Heartfelt tour, Kelsea Ballerini had a bracelet thrown at her during her, triggering her PTSD, and prompting her to go off stage and chastise the audience on her return.
The fact that her voice could still be heard caused her to face allegations of lip synching; in addition, a concertgoer later reported her for battery,[59] a claim assessed by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department but dropped for lack of evidence.
[68] On 12 November, at an Eras Tour concert in Buenos Aires, Taylor Swift asked fans to not throw objects on stage after one landed next to her piano.
The rise of the popularity of TikTok during the pandemic meant, Heydari explained, that some fans retained their "desire to video everything in hopes of capturing the perfect moment".
Heydari argues that this fear of missing out (FOMO) made every aspect of attending concerts a competitive space, from purchasing tickets to finding the right clothing to wear.
Golby also pointed out that some artists were encouraging the latter, citing Charli XCX signing poppers and a douche during various 2019 meet-and-greets and Phoebe Bridgers commemorating being handed a sword by getting a tattoo of the event.
[77] Writing in July 2023, crowd safety manager Paul Wertheimer argued that the abuse should be seen as part of a wider pattern that had cost Christina Grimmie and Dimebag Darrell their lives, and criticised "the industry" for not learning lessons from their deaths; Wertheimer also blamed post-lockdown aggression for the post-pandemic increase in threats against performers, and suggested that security could stand in the crowd instead of close to the stage to better address the problem.
She noted misogyny as one possible cause, and suggested that "2½ years of lockdown and social distance" meant that "people changed their behavior, and many still feel uneasy in crowded or confined spaces".
[86] Jason Derulo responded by stating that the assaults "disrespect the artist",[87] while Billie Eilish noted that people had been throwing things at her for six years and that it was "infuriating".
[88] Tim McGraw said he was "used to soft goods being thrown at" him, but asked fans not to "throw anything that’s got any heft to it", as a premature concert ending due to injury "ruins the show for everybody".
