And the crowd goes wild (rowdy bands, unruly fans and riotous gigs)

The Guardian ^ | Friday September 1, 2006 | Dave Simpson

[weegee]

Thanks to the Libertines, the audience now think it's their right to charge the stage. Dave Simpson on rowdy bands, unruly fans and riotous gigs

[snip]

The crowd suddenly started killing each other," he sighs. "Bottles were getting smashed over people's heads. Bodies flying everywhere. It was pure chaos." Drummer Mince Fratelli took refuge in the women's toilets, while the ill and bewildered singer was escorted from the dressing room by a policeman. You won't see this sort of thing in stadiums, where crowd barriers and security teams hold sway, but small to medium-sized venues are increasingly having to deal with unruly audiences, flying instruments and - especially - stage invasions. "It does seem no small gig is complete without one," says Conor McNicholas, the editor of NME. "They used to happen rarely and would be talked about as legendary gigs. But lately you go to some gigs and if there hasn't been a stage invasion, you feel like you've missed out."

It's happening because, as indie and rock have replaced pop as the teenager's preferred music, audiences are getting more enthusiastic. But equally, there's a sense of a backlash against two years of endless middle-of-the-road, piano-led rock bands and singer-songwritery gigs where nothing tends to happen. "Kids are looking for more excitement," says McNicholas, "and that means wilder live gigs." Beneath his Bolan-Dylan homage of a haircut, Jon Fratelli is quietly but spikily dismissive of "all these singer-songwriters who think it started with David Gray".

[weegee]

While the British press seems "certain" of the popularity of these flash in the pan flavor of the month bands, if they had the respect of the fans, this wouldn't be happening.

And it does also happen at the large festival shows too. Quite a few You Tube video clips can be seen of this or that overrated modern band getting beaned in the head by a water bottle or something else.

It's nothing new. I think Pearl Jam got hit with a shoe back in Texas in the early 1990s. And the British crowd ran Kris Kristophersom offstage while he was singing Me & Bobby McGee at the Isle of Wight Festival (and the footage can be seen in the film).

[weegee]

Rock and Roll PING! email Weegee to get on/off this list (or grab it yourself to PING the rest)

[wvobiwan]

God help the UK's terrorists if UK youth ever marshal that agression properly. It's a sad day when dissaffected youth means they beat up themselves instead of the nearest object of hate.

[vimto]

I went to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers with my son at Hyde Park. (actually James Brown was really funky). the crowd were like banshee's. Bottles of urine flying overhead spraying the crowd and more besides. Too much of me. But then I'm just getting old and grumpy.

[t_skoz]

I don't think you have to be old to not want to get sprayed with pee. I'm 26 and would properly beat the hell out of someone I saw doing that.

[Sam's Army]

All well and good, but nothing beats Fear's legendary exploit for this as memorialized in the film " The Decline of Western Civilization".

Anything else is pretty much an off-shoot of that and fairly contrived for the most part it seems.

And Punk IS dead. Rightfully so.

[The Toll]

For the love of God, the Brit music press always think everything starts in the UK. Actually the UK is just now catching on to the house show EMO (no stage) ethic that was started 10 years ago in basements all across this country. It is really sad when someone is late to the game and thinks it's a break through. Started with the "libertines" my @$$. The "libertines" have never started anything. Check out a slug'n'lettuce magazine from around 97' if you want to see the real deal.