Explainer | Why is toxic fan behaviour becoming the new norm at concerts?

In what turns out to be a new norm, a troubling trend of performers getting pelted onstage during concerts has raised concerns in the industry with an increase in the number of such incidents.

One recent incident took place last week when rapper Cardi B was captured throwing a microphone at one of the concertgoers in a video who appeared to throw a drink at her while she was performing on stage.

The artists who have fallen victim to such a trend are Harry Styles, Bebe Rexha, Pink, Ava Max, Taylor Swift and Drake.

Earlier this month, Harry Styles was forced to momentarily halt his performance in Vienna when someone from the crowd threw an unknown object at him that appeared to hit the singer’s eye. In the video of the incident that went viral, Styles could be seen wincing onstage before holding his head in his hand, visibly in pain. He later walked off the stage.

Bebe Rexha got three stitches in the month of June when a concertgoer threw his phone at her that hit her near the eye. 

During a recent show in Los Angeles, Ava Max got slapped in the face by an attendee. Another fan appeared to have thrown their mother’s ashes at P!nk during a concert in London. Kelsea Ballerini also got hit in the eye by a bracelet during a recent show in the United States.

During Drake’s “It’s All a Blur”, the rapper paused his performance after a fan tossed a vape onto the stage.

A video posted on TikTok captured the moments when Drake addressed the crowd, inquiring, “Did you throw a vape over here? Come on. Who threw this? Who threw the vape?”

Clearly displeased, he expressed his disapproval of the fan’s actions and urged them to take life more seriously. “There’s no way you’re taking life seriously if you think I’m gonna pick this vape up and vape with you at the f–king Barclays Center. You’ve got some real-life evaluating to do,” the rapper passionately stated.

‘I thought it would be funny’, says man charged with assault over hitting Rexha

The man, on being questioned as to what his motive was behind hurling a phone at Bebe Rexha during her performance, remarked, “I thought it would be funny”. He has been charged with assault over the incident.

Bebe Rexha had to be rushed to a hospital in June when a fan allegedly threw an iPhone at her. When she returned to the stage for a show in Philadelphia a month later, she pleaded with fans, “Just no phones at my face tonight please, I beg of you.”

“This kind of disrespectful behaviour has become the new norm at live performances, but it must stop for the sake of an artist’s and crowd’s safety,” The Guardian quoted Sam Allison, the head of events at independent music store chain Rough Trade as saying.

Reason behind such behaviour by concertgoers

Some experts say that social media could be a reason behind an increase in the number of such cases considering people these days want to film content that has the potential to go crazy viral on the internet.

Allison further shared his advice for concert etiquette “so all fans attending feel safe, secure and most importantly, continue to enjoy live events”.

“Never throw anything onto a stage or at an artist while they are performing,” The Guardian quoted him as saying. “Phones, soft toys, food, drinks, flowers, and clothing are some of the most common items thrown by fans on stage, but when thrown in proximity and at a fair speed they can cause injury and also be a major safety hazard on stage.”

Footage that emerged from the incident involving Cardi B showed the rapper taking the matter in her own hands after a fan threw liquid over the pop star.

She was accused of battery after she allegedly threw her microphone at a woman in the audience when the fan appeared to throw a cup containing liquid at her. 

“After a thorough review of this case and with the consultation from the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, this case has been closed as having insufficient evidence,” a spokesperson for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “No charges will be filed in relation to this case.” 

The growing number of such cases has forced the singers to speak up. Recently, Adele called out the behaviour during her show at her Las Vegas residency.

“Have you noticed how people are like, forgetting fucking show etiquette at the moment? People just throwing shit on stage, have you seen them,” Adele said. “I f**king dare you. Dare you to throw something at me and I’ll f**king kill you.”

Charlie Puth had also requested his fans to halt the “disrespectful and very dangerous behaviour”, while Tyler the Creator urged his fans to “stop throwing your sh*t on stage”, and Kelly Clarkson jokingly told an audience they could only hurl diamonds at her.

Dr Lucy Bennett, a lecturer at Cardiff University, who studies the relationship between fans and musicians, in a conversation with BBC said, “I think something is changing more recently and we’re seeing more isolated, disruptive, individual physical acts such as throwing items.”

She further added that COVID-19 could also be a reason behind the change in people’s behaviour as they couldn’t be physically present at concerts during the pandemic.

Recently, Myah Elliott on TikTok said: “We need to normalise calling out toxic fan behaviour when people at concerts are doing things they’re not supposed to be doing that affects other people’s experiences. Do not be afraid to shame them,” she said.

While stressing on the importance of venue safety protocols, Allison said, “Venue rules of conduct exist for a reason – they are there to ensure that event attendees stay safe and can enjoy their time without any problems.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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