Whether it is a handwritten note, an article of clothing or a cell phone being thrown onstage, concertgoers have proven they are not afraid of going to extreme measures to express their adoration for their favorite artists. Though, after a string of incidents where this form of praise threatened the safety of multiple artists, the circumstances have music lovers wondering when adoration could be considered too much.
Although throwing objects on stage during concerts is not a new occurrence, it has suddenly become a growing trend over the summer. One recent incident that caught the attention of music lovers and artists occurred at a Bebe Rexha concert in New York City on June 18.
Rexha was in the middle of a performance when she was struck in the face by a phone, resulting in her falling to her knees before being escorted off-stage to receive medical attention. The artist later took to social media to assure fans that she was okay but that the incident did cause her to need stitches.
Country music singer Kelsea Ballerini experienced a similar instance while performing in Boise, Idaho, on June 28 when a fan threw a bracelet that hit her in the eye. Ballerini was mid-performance and had to step away for an intermission to recollect herself. After reappearing, she explained what happened to the fans in attendance and then expressed the dangers of throwing objects during a live performance, mentioning that she wants her concerts to be a safe place for everyone.
These two instances truly do not encapsulate the frequency of how much these encounters have been occurring within the live music world. Other artists that have experienced some form of concert interruption at the hands of fans throwing things onstage or making irrational decisions include Harry Styles, Ava Max, Drake, Latto — the list goes on.
Why are concertgoers doing this to their supposed favorite artists? Why would a person pay money to see someone they musically idolize just to disrespect their performance and put their safety at risk?
Some believe the incidents are coming from fans seeking fame on social media; more specifically, those who have thrown their phones during concerts in the hopes that the artist will use their phone to capture the moment.
Others think this may be occurring simply from fans being over-excited and poorly executing a meaningful gesture. According to an article by Today, “David Schmid, a pop culture expert at the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, said the idea of tossing items on stage historically goes back to the etymology of the word fan. Short for fanatic, it was a term originally associated with religious devotion.”
Regardless of why concertgoers are doing this, it does not change the fact that it is blatantly bad concert etiquette. No one with an ounce of respect for live music would ever risk provoking detriment on an artist’s musical craft. Concerts are supposed to be a place where artists can showcase their music live so their fans can have fun and connect with each other. Therefore, the fans who think these incidents are unimportant and not something that needs to be diminished are utterly wrong and are jeopardizing the future of live music.
The fact of the matter is that throwing things onstage while artists are performing is dangerous, and it needs to stop. If fans continue to interrupt live music performances with their advances, artists could potentially start lessening the amount that they perform or stop performing altogether. If you are a music lover who enjoys going to concerts, ask yourself if you want the future of live music to live on or be ruined by fans with bad concert etiquette.
