Musicians who have had conflicts with fans during concerts

Atlanta rock band The Black Crowes were performing in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 20 2022, when a stage invader threw the theater into chaos. Fan videos show a large man sprinting across the stage, evading security like a pro running back. He managed to cross the entire stage, ending up close to guitarist Rich Robinson who decided to step in. As security close in on the rogue fan, Robinson tries to push him off the stage by shoving him in the throat with his guitar. His brother, frontman Chris Robinson then joined in the tussle, using his mic stand to push him. The invader eventually gave up and jumped back into the booing crowd where he was escorted from the venue.

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50 Cent - In 2017, rapper 50 Cent attacked a fan who grabbed him and nearly pulled him off the stage while he was greeting the crowd. The rapper seemed angered by the incident after being pulled several times, throwing a punch at the woman.

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50 Cent -

Despite hitting the woman in the chest, he later invited her up on stage to make amends and she was seen dancing while he performed.

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Rihanna - Rihanna hit a British fan with her microphone at a 2013 gig after being grabbed aggressively by the concertgoer in question.

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Pitbull - A fan at a 2009 Pitbull concert kept trying to "make it rain," but Mr. Worldwide wasn't happy about it. He became increasingly irritated with the man throwing money on stage that he brought him up to publicly shame him.

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Pitbull - It didn't go as planned. The man threw a big stack of cash that hit the rapper square in the face, who instantly retaliated by punching him.

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Akon -

In 2007, Akon brought a 15-year-old fan up on stage after he allegedly threw something at the singer. Akon then proceeded to lift the teenager onto his shoulders before tossing him into the crowd. He reportedly injured another fan in the process.

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Akon -

Akon later claimed that the whole thing was a stunt to promote his album, but he pled guilty to harassment after charges were pressed. He was given 65 hours of community service and a US$250 fine.

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Amy Winehouse - Late star Amy Winehouse threw two punches at a fan at Glastonbury in 2008. She thought the man had thrown a hat at her face, though that turned out to be a mistake.

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Amy Winehouse -

The victim was pleased to have an interesting story to tell after the incident, telling the BBC, “Not everyone can say they have been hit by Amy Winehouse."

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Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) - Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong attacked an audience member in 2009 after spotting him behaving aggressively towards other fans.

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A$AP Rocky - A$AP Rocky, and his ensemble known as the A$AP Mob, got into an altercation with the crowd at the 2012 SXSW festival. The rowdy audience reportedly grabbed the headwear from one rapper and started throwing items at the stage.

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A$AP Rocky -

The Mob got angrier as the concertgoers continued to pelt them with beer, until finally they dived into the crowd and started fighting. Security had to break them up and the police shut down the event.

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Tim McGraw - Country music star Tim McGraw pushed away and slapped at a female fan at a concert after she allegedly grabbed his leg and refused to let go while he was walking through the crowd.

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Henry Rollins (Black Flag) -

Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins got physical with a fan in the crowd who grabbed the mic from him. At first it seemed like they were playing a game, with the fan repeatedly trying to reach for the mic as Rollins moved it just beyond his grasp.

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Henry Rollins (Black Flag) -

Things took a turn when the fan actually managed to take the microphone, and Rollins instantly leaned into the crowd and started raining down blows onto the man's head.

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Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) -

Axl Rose has a reputation for his lack of patience and his habit of aggravating his fans. In 1991, the Guns N' Roses front man attacked a fan at a gig for taking photos without his permission. True to form, the singer then stormed off stage.

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Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) -

He briefly returned to the stage to say “Thanks to the lame security, I’m going home,” before smashing his microphone and walking off again. This incited a riot in the crowd that resulted in more than 60 injuries and US$1 million in damage to the venue.

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Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) -

In 1981, the Rolling Stones were playing a chaotic concert where balloons rained down all over the stage. Amidst the madness, Keith Richards clocked a man who seemed to have escaped security running across the stage.

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Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) -

Without breaking a sweat, Richards took off his guitar and began to hit the invader with it until security caught up to him and dragged him off the stage. Mick Jagger looked on in wonder and continued to sing as the scene unfolded. Apparently, Richards paid the man's bail that night!

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Maynard James Keenan (Tool) - Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan, an army vet who practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu, once immobilized a fan who invaded the stage. Keenan even kept singing with the fan pinned down underneath him!

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Luke Bryan - Country star Luke Bryan punched a man in the face after he gave him the finger at a 2016 gig in Nashville.

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Ken Casey (Dropkick Murphys) -

Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys saw a fan doing a Nazi salute at one of his gigs while the band were singing a cover of 'TNT' by AC/DC. Casey walked over to the fan, punched him, hit him with his bass guitar, and had him thrown out.

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Ken Casey (Dropkick Murphys) -

He then returned to the mic to say "Nazis are not welcome at a Dropkick Murphys show!" and was met with cheers from the crowd.

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Josh Hommes (Queens of the Stone Age) -

Queens of the Stone Age played a festival in Norway in 2011 when lead singer Josh Hommes was ill. He claimed to have a high fever and had been vomiting, but pushed through the concert anyway. Needless to say, his patience was thin when a concertgoer threw a bottle at him.

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Josh Hommes (Queens of the Stone Age) -

Hommes confronted the culprit from the stage and started to hurl insults at him, and the guy threw something else at the singer. As security hauled the unruly fan out of the crowd, Hommes picked up a bottle and threw it at the fan while continuing a vulgar tirade.

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Angus Young (AC/DC) -

A fan once threw a glass of beer at AC/DC guitarist Angus Young during a show in Arizona. Another drink drenched him while he was pointing out the man to security, which sent him over the edge.

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Angus Young (AC/DC) -

Young jumped into the crowd to confront the offender, but instead of starting a fist fight, he simply pinched him on the nose and told him off.

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Liam Gallagher (Oasis) - Back when Oasis were still together, a fan rushed the stage and tackled Noel Gallagher to the ground. Security quickly rushed in to pull the fan away and get Noel off the stage, but his hot-headed brother Liam also wanted to feel like part of the action.

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Liam Gallagher (Oasis) -

Liam wasn't quite as fast to react and security already had the stage invader by the time he started throwing some poorly aimed swings. It's unclear whether he actually got a punch in or not, but he was certainly posturing for one!

Sources: (Rolling Stone) (Tone Deaf)

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The Black Crowes -

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50 Cent -

Despite hitting the woman in the chest, he later invited her up on stage to make amends and she was seen dancing while he performed.

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Rihanna - Rihanna hit a British fan with her microphone at a 2013 gig after being grabbed aggressively by the concertgoer in question.

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Pitbull - It didn't go as planned. The man threw a big stack of cash that hit the rapper square in the face, who instantly retaliated by punching him.

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Akon -

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Akon -

Akon later claimed that the whole thing was a stunt to promote his album, but he pled guilty to harassment after charges were pressed. He was given 65 hours of community service and a US$250 fine.

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Amy Winehouse - Late star Amy Winehouse threw two punches at a fan at Glastonbury in 2008. She thought the man had thrown a hat at her face, though that turned out to be a mistake.

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Amy Winehouse -

The victim was pleased to have an interesting story to tell after the incident, telling the BBC, “Not everyone can say they have been hit by Amy Winehouse."

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Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) - Green Day front man Billie Joe Armstrong attacked an audience member in 2009 after spotting him behaving aggressively towards other fans.

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A$AP Rocky -

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Tim McGraw - Country music star Tim McGraw pushed away and slapped at a female fan at a concert after she allegedly grabbed his leg and refused to let go while he was walking through the crowd.

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Henry Rollins (Black Flag) -

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Henry Rollins (Black Flag) -

Things took a turn when the fan actually managed to take the microphone, and Rollins instantly leaned into the crowd and started raining down blows onto the man's head.

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Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) -

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Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) -

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Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) -

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Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) -

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Luke Bryan - Country star Luke Bryan punched a man in the face after he gave him the finger at a 2016 gig in Nashville.

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Ken Casey (Dropkick Murphys) -

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Ken Casey (Dropkick Murphys) -

He then returned to the mic to say "Nazis are not welcome at a Dropkick Murphys show!" and was met with cheers from the crowd.

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Josh Hommes (Queens of the Stone Age) -

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Josh Hommes (Queens of the Stone Age) -

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Angus Young (AC/DC) -

A fan once threw a glass of beer at AC/DC guitarist Angus Young during a show in Arizona. Another drink drenched him while he was pointing out the man to security, which sent him over the edge.

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Angus Young (AC/DC) -

Young jumped into the crowd to confront the offender, but instead of starting a fist fight, he simply pinched him on the nose and told him off.

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Liam Gallagher (Oasis) -

Sources: (Rolling Stone) (Tone Deaf)

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Musicians who have had conflicts with fans during concerts

Click on the photo gallery to find out what happens when music stars lose patience

10/12/24 | StarsInsider

MUSIC Fights

Most of the time, a concert is a joyous experience for both the musicians and the fans. Performing live is where an artist lives out their creativity and passion, and experiencing this in the flesh is sometimes a dream come true for a big fan. Unfortunately, the reality is not always so joyful. There have been more than a few A-list music stars who, for various reasons, lost their cool on stage and resorted to violence with members of the audience.

Rihanna, 50 Cent, and Axl Rose are just a few other performers who have found themselves in such tense situations. Click on the following gallery to find out more about when musicians lost the plot mid-gig!