Pit Attackers - If I See You, Watch Out
Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 12:02AM Cradle of Filth isn't a band I write about here. They are not Glam, but extreme Metal. Their genre of music has nothing to do with today's post. Perhaps you've been following the story of Cradle of Filth and their recent abbreviated performance at Bloodstock Open Air in England. Some moron in the crowd decided to lob dense objects at the band, hitting guitarist Paul Allender in the spine, sending him straight to the hospital.
To all the morons that choose to throw objects from the pit to the stage, this is for you:
Dearest morons,
If you choose to throw objects at musicians during a show and I am in the pit, please beware. No, I won't touch you or assault you. I'm not common like that. I will, however, report you so fast to security, you'll be pulled from the pit before you can flash the Devil horns.
Idiots that choose to lob bottles (filled with either water, beer or urine), rocks, gobstoppers, apples, or whatever else: use caution. Musicians cannot see faces in the crowd. Lights make it near impossible to see off into the distance. A dense object flying hard and fast at a rock star can cause serious damage. Paul Allender of Cradle of Filth could have easily been killed. Is this how you party at festivals? I usually go to shows to see friends and hear music. I'm not interested in throwing shit at people that are basically defenseless. If you are reading this and you are the moron that attacked Paul, I pity you. I've been to shows when people throw bottles at the stage. The performers duck and then they get really pissed. Sometimes the artist just shrugs it off. Other times, there is a verbal warning. I think if I was on stage and someone threw a rock or whatever at me, I'd turn on my heels and walk away. No explanation necessary.
Have you thrown something hard at the stage? What is your intent? To look cool? To ruin a show for 40,000 other people that worked hard to pay for their tickets?
I never understood the point of throwing things at musicians. Are you wanting attention? Here's a newsflash: musicians are there to work. Yes, entertaining you is their job - but they don't need to pacify you, so stop being so damn clingy. Maybe you're reading this right now at your desk. Perhaps you are an accountant, lawyer or teacher. No matter the profession, I bet there would be hell to pay if someone lobbed a rock at your head or spine.
Such an assault would be all over the evening news.
I'm not sure why "pit attacks" don't make the main stream media. Maybe because finding the suspect is like hunting down the proverbial needle in a haystack. At any case, these attacks need media attention because they must stop. It's not just a hazard to the musicians - it's also dangerous to others in the crowd.
Be wary, pit attackers. I'm watching you and I go to a lot of shows.
Kisses,
The Glam Mistress
Reader Comments (15)
These people should be charged with assault and banned from the all live shows in the city they are in.
Ryo
http://rockandrollguru.blogspot.com
I had not yet heard of this specific insident but it always saddens me to hear story's like this. Why would one pay their hard earned money to see their idols and then attempt to assault them?
Great article once again!
I'll stick with ROK right here in the USA
Ofcourse there have been a couple of times when some idiot decided to jump up onstage with a beef but a well aimed mic stand tends to quell that situation rather quickly.
Someone threw a cup of ice at our guitar player once and got the shit beaten out of him afterwards.
Who do you think you are to say that at any festival in Europe people throw bottles of urine and other shit? You know nothing about festivals in Europe that's for sure.
FYI: It is a highly questionable "tradition" in Donington, England to do so but not on continental Europe.
I was at ROK last year and while most of the bands were really good the audience was very lame. In fact I've never seen such a lame audience on a festival before.
BTW: Sitting on wooden benches and camping chairs is NOT Rock ’n’ Roll!
http://www.myspace.com/thespiritofradio
- During Green Day's Insomniac stop at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto (1995ish), Billie Joe was hit with a shoe. He made a comment about it and they left the stage in a huff after an abbreviated set.
- At Ozzfest 2001 (maybe 2000), Marilyn Manson was hit with a water bottle. He stopped the show and brought the purp on stage for an old fashioned waterbottle showdown, old west style. Manson cheated, of course, and nailed the guy right with his throw.
- At the Sex Pistols in 2004ish, some moron kept spitting on Johnny Rotten, because apparently that was the punk thing to do. Johnny called him out and then stormed off the stage. After about 5 minutes, he came back out and instructed the crowd to beat the crap out of him.
I also saw the singer in a bar band in a really rowdy bar in Oakland snatch a thrown glass right out of the air and just fucking HURL it back into the crowd. Now that was cool.
I guess throwing piss bottles and standing in mud & fighting is more rock n roll. Next year stay in Europe and YOUR rock n roll crowd.
Piss bottles are an English thing and does not happen in other countries. So why do you claim that it does? Stay close to the truth and all is fine.
And BTW - of course mud-fights are more rock 'n' roll than camping chairs. Lol. On the other hand - we did have mud fights at ROK! But it took until the last day and Dirty Penny for it to happen! ;)
We loved ROK very much. The only thing that we felt lacking was the tight atmosphere that you get when there are no seats.
Piss Off