From flying phones to fake bomb threats, these concerts went from epic to epic fail! Join us as we count down the most chaotic live music moments ruined by unruly fans, reckless performers, and downright idiotic behavior. When audience members and artists clash, the show doesn't always go on!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo!
00:05And today we're counting down our picks for concerts that were interrupted or ruined completely
00:11by idiots.
00:12For this list, we'll be specifically focusing on events that may have been derailed, but
00:17did not end in tragedy.
00:20Axl got in a fight with some guy and then the security guard pulled him apart because
00:24they were afraid.
00:27Number 30 Five Finger Death Punch The Netherlands 2017
00:33This has to be one of the most bizarre ways to quit your job.
00:37After lead singer Ivan Moody showed up late to a 2017 concert in the Netherlands, Five
00:42Finger Death Punch started without him.
00:45Things didn't get much better after he did arrive.
00:48Each member left at least once for extended periods of time, and Moody's behavior became
00:54increasingly erratic.
00:56It came to a head when he suddenly announced that he was quitting.
00:59This is my last show with Five Finger Death Punch.
01:03When it was finally over, another member confirmed it hadn't been a planned event.
01:07A tour was then announced for the next day, forcing the band to release a statement saying,
01:13things merely got tense, but that no one would be permanently leaving the group.
01:18Do you want this to be my last show with Five Finger Death?
01:22Number 29 Cardi B Las Vegas U.S. 2023
01:27Be careful what you wish for.
01:29Mid-performance in the dead of summer, Cardi B decided to turn to the crowd for assistance.
01:35She asked them to splash water at her to help cool her down, which they did.
01:41But one still took it too far.
01:43During Bodak Yellow, a spectator threw her drink in Cardi's face.
01:48In response, the rapper threw her microphone directly at the offending fan, which ultimately
01:54missed and hit someone else.
01:57She later clarified that she hadn't wanted anything thrown at her face.
02:04That's understandable, but it seemed to be lost in translation.
02:08The star was facing potential battery charges, but they were dropped following an investigation
02:13by local police.
02:15Number 28 Puddle of Mud
02:18Doncaster, UK 2016
02:21When someone has a history of sabotaging their own shows, it's hard to choose just one moment.
02:28Wes Scantlin of Puddle of Mud has been the cause of several derailed concerts, but a failed
02:34performance in Doncaster truly took the cake.
02:37He was clearly intoxicated, even attempting to leave mid-set.
02:48He returned shortly afterwards, only for his bandmates to leave soon after.
02:52They left him alone on stage to face the crowd's ire.
02:56And they had plenty of it.
02:57Is that not a surprise?
02:59F*** you!
03:01At first, he tried to interact with the crowd until his mic was cut shortly afterwards.
03:06And yet, he still stayed.
03:08Had it been anyone else, it might have been sad.
03:11But in this case, it seemed like a natural consequence for his actions.
03:17Number 27 Elton John, Las Vegas, US 2018
03:23This is why we can't have nice things.
03:26Before one fateful night in 2018, Elton John had a tradition of bringing fans on stage to
03:32surround his piano while he performed Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting.
03:36While playing the Caesars Palace, people began to abuse that privilege by repeatedly touching him,
03:42even after he snapped at them to stop.
03:51When that didn't work, he stopped playing entirely and stormed off stage.
03:55He did end up coming back to finish his set, but made it clear that he was ending the crowd
04:04interaction after what had happened.
04:05No more coming on stage than Saturday Night.
04:08What was once a chance to meet one of music's most iconic stars was dashed in a single moment,
04:14ruining it for respectful and disrespectful fans alike.
04:18Number 26 Kelsey Ballerini, Idaho, US 2023
04:23Having to be gentle-parented into not throwing things has to sting a little bit.
04:30While singing at the Idaho Botanical Garden in 2023, Kelsey Ballerini was gifted a friendship
04:36bracelet by a fan, who flung it at her from the crowd. It struck her in the face, causing her to
04:41stop singing while she processed what happened. When she realized she was fine, she quickly stopped
04:47to address what had just happened, before asking the audience not to toss anything else.
04:53"...don't throw things, you know?"
04:56She then took to Instagram the following day to confirm she was fine physically, but that the
05:01event had been triggering for her.
05:03Number 25
05:05Ava Max, Los Angeles, US 2023
05:09While some on-stage interruptions are annoying, others are straight-up violence. Ava Max was
05:17performing at an L.A. venue in 2023 when a man suddenly took to the stage and made a beeline for
05:24her. Security managed to get ahold of him, but not before he slapped her. It looked mild in the
05:30moment, especially as Max continued on with her performance. However, afterwards, it was revealed
05:36that the attacker hit her so hard that he scratched her eye. It's unclear if he faced any legal repercussions,
05:44but Max did declare he was banned from her shows. So that's at least a start. She even went on to
05:51hold a meet-and-greet afterwards, proving that even a sudden injury couldn't hold her down.
05:57Number 24
05:59Akon, Fishkill, US 2007
06:02Having something thrown at you mid-show is not only annoying, it can be dangerous. However,
06:08rather than have the offender removed, some decide to take things into their own hands.
06:13When a teenager threw an object at Akon during a 2007 concert, the singer had the crowd identify
06:20him before asking security to bring him on stage. Once the perp was in front of him, Akon then proceeded
06:26to pick him up and chuck him back into the crowd. He then tried to claim that the whole thing was
06:32staged, but it was clear the cops didn't agree. Akon was hit with two charges for a misdemeanor
06:38and a violation, resulting in a $350 fine and community service.
06:44It got thrown out of proportion, but at the same time, it did give me the respect that I needed.
06:50Number 23
06:51Courtney Love, Sao Paulo, Brazil 2011
06:55Hurtful acts deserve to be called out mid-show, but it doesn't need to derail the entire thing.
07:01At a concert in Brazil, Hull's performance abruptly stopped when lead singer Courtney Love noticed
07:07someone holding up a photo of her deceased husband, Kurt Cobain. Understandably hurt,
07:13she cursed out the spectator.
07:15You know, I don't need to see a picture of Kurt, asshole.
07:18She then began to rant, threatening to beat up the offending audience member before switching
07:22her sights to ex-Nirvana member Dave Grohl.
07:26You didn't get kicked out of a band by him like Dave, he did.
07:29She stormed off, only to return a minute later to take one more dig at Grohl,
07:35accusing him of putting her and Kurt's child in a bad financial spot.
07:39Though her emotions in the moment were valid, she still took things further than they needed to go.
07:45I don't care what you listen to at home, but a guy takes money off my kid's table, f—k him.
07:51Number 22
07:53Pink, London, UK, 2023
07:56Fans throwing gifts for artists onto the stage is nothing new, but nothing could ever top this.
08:03Midway through, just like a pill, Pink was suddenly derailed when she noticed
08:08someone had thrown a clear bag onto the stage. She realized it was filled with ashes, prompting
08:14her to ask the spectator if it was their mother.
08:17This is your mom?
08:18When it was confirmed that she was in fact holding a bag of cremated human remains, Pink was
08:24understandably put off. Though she played it off like a true professional, she then carefully put
08:29the baggie back down before jumping back into the song.
08:39It's not clear what happened to the ashes after the show, but it's fair to assume she didn't hold on
08:45to them. Number 21
08:47The Doors Miami, US, 1969
08:52Some rock stars are known for their eccentricity, but sometimes it can go too far. There was a perfect
08:59storm of events that led up to the infamous concert held by The Doors at the Dinner Key Auditorium in
09:041969. With frontman Jim Morrison being the common denominator, he not only missed his flight and was
09:11late, he also arrived drunk. He's drunk on stage. He started drinking as a teenager, but it's now out
09:19of control. To top it all off, as he'd recently seen a show with an abrasive performance style,
09:25Morrison antagonized the audience and made obscene gestures. He even forced his bandmates to stop
09:31playing mid-song. At one point, things became so intense that Morrison and the crowd reportedly
09:37started stripping, leading to his arrest days later. Jim is arrested, and in September 1970,
09:44he's prosecuted for profanity and indecent exposure. Number 20
09:48Bebe Rexha, New York, US, 2023
09:53There are some acts that can be written off as accidents, but others are done intentionally.
09:59During a show held in New York City, a fan decided to throw his phone directly at Bebe Rexha. It struck
10:05her in the eye so hard that she fell to the ground. He was subsequently arrested and she was taken to
10:11the hospital, where she ended up having to get stitches. The assailant was hit with a multitude of
10:19charges, ranging from harassment to assault. What makes things worse was his attempted justification for
10:26it all, by admitting he thought it would be funny to try and hit her.
10:31Number 19 Mother of Invention, Geneva, Switzerland, 1971
10:37This might be the only entry on this list where, although a concert was certainly ruined,
10:43something good came of it. In 1971, Frank Zappa's band Mother of Invention was performing at the
10:49magnificent Mantra Casino in Switzerland. When he played live, it was with a band who could
10:55perform both complicated instrumentals and salacious songs with driving rhythms.
11:00Midway through their set, a fire broke out in the hall. It's a little unclear how it started,
11:05but everyone seems to agree that a young moron in the audience was responsible.
11:18Fortunately, Zappa quickly saw the danger and got everyone to evacuate. So although the historic venue
11:24was destroyed, no one got hurt. Another band, Deep Purple, happened to be nearby,
11:29and witnessing the fire inspired them to write their iconic rock ballad, Smoke on the Water.
11:3518. Curtis Mayfield, New York, U.S., 1990
11:40Curtis Mayfield was a singer and songwriter whose music ranged from soulful love ballads,
11:46to movie scores, to calls for social change.
11:56But his live performance career ended tragically at a concert in Brooklyn, when he was only 48.
12:10The weather was ominous, with strong winds and approaching thunderstorms. However,
12:16the sponsor of the show was reluctant to cancel, since there were already thousands of people in
12:21the audience. The opening act was cut short and Mayfield was brought on, hoping to beat the weather.
12:27Just as he stepped on stage, a gust of wind brought down a heavy metal rig overhead, and a stage light
12:33struck Mayfield.
12:34The wind was just kicking up. The wind just came in like unbelievable. It just came in,
12:41and everything just started to rock. Curtis was facing the audience, and it just came down.
12:48He survived, but would be paralyzed for the rest of his life.
12:5217. Kanye West, Sydney, Australia, 2014
12:59Chances are, you've already heard of some controversial incident involving the rapper Kanye
13:04West, now known as Ye. He's made a number of statements that others found offensive.
13:09The fallout continues for Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, whose recent anti-Semitic comments have
13:16caused public outrage. However, it's unusual for him to make them during concerts. Back in
13:222014 at an event in Sydney, Australia, Ye demanded that everyone in the audience get up and dance.
13:29Two people didn't. A long awkward pause ensued as Ye complained and audience members booed,
13:35but the holdouts still didn't stand. That was because they couldn't. Both people had physical
13:41disabilities. Once Ye realized this, he continued the concert. However, it seems reasonable to wonder
13:57why the rapper didn't do that to begin with, rather than embarrassing two fans who just wanted to watch
14:03the show. 16. Kid Rock, North Dakota, US, 2022
14:10Actually, it's a bit of a misnomer to call this a Kid Rock concert, but that's what it was supposed to be.
14:16The country rock singer was scheduled to perform at the North Dakota State Fair, with nearly 20,000 people
14:23in attendance. Unfortunately, dangerous weather conditions were brewing nearby. For safety reasons,
14:28officials decided to cancel the show. But they took a long time to decide, so for over two hours,
14:35the opening act, a rock group called Night Ranger, strove heroically to keep fans engaged,
14:41while everyone waited for Kid Rock to appear. When officials finally announced that he wasn't coming,
14:46the outraged audience responded by yelling, throwing objects, and even climbing on stage,
14:52which led to some fans being removed by police. 15. Philadelphia Orchestra, Pennsylvania, US, 2023
15:09Classical music concerts get ruined by morons, too. And one of the interruptions musicians hate most
15:16is a cell phone ringing during a piece.
15:27Despite announcements made before every concert reminding people to silence their phones,
15:31somehow, it still happens. And for maestro Yannick Nezeh Segein of the Philadelphia Orchestra,
15:39two times in one performance was too many. Ordinarily, the Canadian conductor will stop the orchestra and
15:45wait for quiet, then continue, trying to maintain the continuity of the work.
16:02But in early May of 2023, after Bruckner's Ninth Symphony was interrupted twice by cell phones in
16:08the span of just a few minutes, the exasperated maestro turned around and demanded,
16:13can we live without the phone for just one damn hour? 14. Kings of Leon, Missouri, US, 2010
16:23When rock band Kings of Leon came for a July concert at the Verizon Amphitheater in Missouri,
16:29venue managers confessed they had been having some problems with a pigeon infestation.
16:34Even with this warning, however, no one was prepared for the horrors in store.
16:38Two other bands performed first, and the members of Kings of Leon were alarmed to
16:55see their fellow musicians return from the stage looking haggard and streaked with pigeon droppings.
17:00But they didn't want to back out at the last minute, so they gamely came on and attempted to
17:06play their set. They made it through three songs before the bass player got hit in the face with
17:11bird dung, and they decided to call it quits.
17:14Ever since then, when we would play a Kings of Leon song, our listeners are saying,
17:19you know, the heck with them, or worse language.
17:22Number 13. Aerosmith, Pennsylvania, US, 1977, 1978. Why are there two dates for this entry? You might
17:33be wondering. Well, the events are connected. Both involved Aerosmith, both took place in Philadelphia,
17:39Pennsylvania, and both involved morons.
17:42People getting faced before they go to the show. I don't think you can blame it on the type of music
17:51they're doing or anything in particular. In October of 1997, Aerosmith were coming on stage for an
18:00encore at the Spectrum Arena when someone in the audience threw a cherry bomb — a small but powerful
18:05firecracker — at them. Two band members were seriously injured, and the group was understandably
18:11upset. However, a year later, they decided to give Philadelphia another chance.
18:22It didn't go well. About 20 minutes into the concert, somebody threw a beer bottle,
18:27which shattered and sent pieces of glass flying into the guitarist's face. The band quickly departed
18:34and would not return to the city for another four years.
18:36Number 12. Smash Mouth, Colorado, US, 2015
18:44You may be wondering, why was bread involved in a concert?
18:48Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me. I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed.
18:56Well, the concert was being held at a food festival in Colorado, and unfortunately,
19:01a vendor had decided to give out free loaves of bread. That's right, loaves. Drunk audience members
19:07started throwing slices of bread everywhere, and some landed on the stage. Smash Mouth's lead singer
19:14Steve Harwell went berserk right as the band was playing the introduction to All Star.
19:19Come on, somebody throw one more thing at me right now, and I'm gonna mind you now.
19:26While the band kept repeating itself, hoping for the song to start, Harwell shouted curses and threats
19:32at the bread throwers. Finally fed up, he headed down into the crowd, presumably to administer a beating
19:39to several audience members. Thankfully, however, he was stopped by event security.
19:53Number 11. The Black Crows, Melbourne, Australia, 2022
19:59You'd think that spectators would learn not to invite themselves on stage, and yet, it just keeps
20:05happening. While the Black Crows were performing at the Peleus Theater in 2022, one audience member
20:11hopped on stage and began to run around, while being chased by security.
20:15You've got my love, you've got love and mind and peace.
20:23The band members immediately started to aid their crew, with the singer attempting to strike
20:27the intruder with his mic stand. When the man was finally caught, he continued to struggle.
20:33Rich Robinson then entered the ring, using his guitar to hit him until he finally hopped off stage.
20:39He may have a story to tell for the rest of his life, but we can't help but wonder what exactly
20:44he was hoping to accomplish in the first place.
20:46We're gonna start that again!
20:52Number 10. Doja Cat, Indianapolis, US, 2022
20:58Well, that's one way to skip the line. Tired of waiting to enter a first
21:02come first-served performance by Doja Cat in 2022, one fan had a brilliant idea to tell
21:09nearby concertgoers that he had a bomb. His attempt to move forward a few spots in line
21:14was ultimately derailed after he was reported to the police.
21:17The man was going through the security line when he claimed he had an explosive.
21:21After a quick search, it was discovered he didn't have any explosives, but he did have an outstanding
21:27warrant. He was arrested soon afterwards, and the night went on as planned for everyone else.
21:32The ultimate karma for his selfish act.
21:35Number 9. Britney Spears, Vancouver, Canada, 2009
21:47At a concert in Vancouver, about 15 minutes into her set, Britney Spears suddenly walked off stage.
21:53The audience was left waiting in the dark, confused. Someone made an announcement that
21:58the show would begin again when the stage was cleared of smoke, and everyone was reminded that
22:03it is a non-smoking building. The performers will not resume until the air clears.
22:10About half an hour passed, during which hockey intermission music played over the speakers
22:14presumably intended to be soothing, but apparently somewhat annoying. Spears returned and began to sing,
22:21but then, toward the end of a song, she abruptly left the stage again. When she came back for the
22:27last time, her parting advice to the frustrated audience was, don't smoke weed.
22:36Number 8. Nickelback, Ilya Duermal, Portugal, 2002
22:42In 2002, while playing a set in Portugal, the band Nickelback was pelted with rocks and bottles from the crowd.
22:48How the hell'd we wind up like this? No one really knows why, but given their behavior,
22:55it seems like most of the audience came to see a concert by a band they hated. After weathering two
23:01songs under this barrage of hard objects, lead singer Chad Kruger asked the crowd a pointed question.
23:07Up to you! You guys want to hear some rock and roll, or you want to go home?
23:10When he was answered with a bottle to the back of the head, Kruger and the rest of the band simply left the
23:16stage, though not without directing a couple of middle fingers towards the audience.
23:25Number 7. Justin Bieber, Manchester United Kingdom, 2016
23:32Normally, screams from the audience at a concert are a good thing, but maybe not so much when you're
23:37trying to deliver an impassioned speech about everyone's purpose in life.
23:41And the reason why I named it The Purpose Tour is because I simply wanted to remind everybody
23:45that everybody has a purpose. A little trite, perhaps, but hardly worth screaming at. However,
23:51Justin Bieber had to plead with the audience members to stop yelling and making noise during his talk at
23:56a concert in Manchester, England. When the screaming still didn't stop, Bieber angrily stormed off stage.
24:09Apparently, this is not a new issue, as Bieber has told British fans in the past to shut up and be
24:15quiet and listen. Bieber did eventually return to perform, but claimed the Manchester audience couldn't
24:21handle him. Number 6. Limp Bizkit, New York, US, 1999
24:33Let's start off by saying there were a lot of poor choices made by people involved in Woodstock 1999.
24:43No one band is to blame for the assaults, damage, and chaos that occurred. However, Fred Durst of Limp
24:50Biscuit definitely made one of the worst decisions of the event when he told an already revved up
24:55crowd to start breaking things. Many people took him at his word, tearing apart sound towers and
25:01crowd surfing on the metal pieces. Medical tents were swamped with people who got injured in the
25:11mosh pit. By the time the band actually started playing break stuff, the crowd was way ahead of them.
25:17The festival later ended with riots and a huge fire.
25:26Number 5. Nirvana, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1992
25:32For a 1992 concert in Buenos Aires, Nirvana hired an all-female band called Calamity Jane to be their
25:39opening act. The audience treated them horribly, shouting obscenities and throwing mud and rocks,
25:45until they left the stage in despair.
25:47I think lighters and dirt, money, ice, spit, lots of spit. Lots of spit on Gilly,
25:56unfortunately. A whole circle of spit.
25:58At first, lead singer Kurt Cobain wanted to cancel the show. But instead,
26:02Nirvana decided to give the audience a taste of their own medicine.
26:05They played unfamiliar, experimental songs that hadn't been released yet. And to top it off,
26:17before every number, Kurt Cobain would play the introduction of Smells Like Teen Spirit,
26:22but then segue into a different song.
26:40Whether the crowd knew it or not, their rudeness led to one of the most unusual concerts Nirvana
26:45has ever given.
26:46Number 4. Metallica and Guns N' Roses, Montreal, Canada, 1992
26:53This disastrous concert began with Metallica's James Hetfield getting horribly burned by his own
26:59pyrotechnics and having to be rushed to the hospital.
27:02There was an incident with the pyrotechnics. Unfortunately, James is on his way to the hospital
27:09right now, and we're very sorry, but we can't continue the concert.
27:11Then, the audience had to wait over two hours for the famously unpunctual Guns N' Roses to show up.
27:17Unfortunately, frontman Axl Rose had been having vocal problems throughout the tour.
27:22And whether it was due to this, or problems with feedback in the building,
27:27Guns N' Roses also left the stage after only a few songs.
27:30We had just stopped the tour because I had throat problems. Came back, and I realized,
27:34I'm gonna hurt myself. I told Slash two more songs, but if we can't get it fixed, I gotta go.
27:39You know?
27:40The audience went mad with rage, rioting and looting until they were finally subdued by Montreal police.
27:47That's when all hell broke loose.
27:50Little kids start freaking. Turnover cop cars.
27:53Several people were injured, and Guns N' Roses ended up being banned from Montreal's Olympic stadium for life.
27:593. Liam Gallagher, Toronto, Canada, 2008
28:04Though the Gallagher's had a contentious relationship throughout the years, there were
28:09some moments that proved their brotherly love was still there. There have been plenty of times where
28:14Noel and Liam Gallagher fought with each other, such as the infamous Paris performance that was
28:19cancelled due to the latter smashing the former's guitar.
28:23However, they weren't always the cause of mid-show strife. At a 2008 gig in Toronto,
28:34they were mid-song when a man seemingly came out of nowhere and tackled Noel from behind,
28:39injuring him in the process.
28:41He was quickly apprehended by security before Liam entered the fray, ready to defend his brother.
28:48Though it led to the performance ending prematurely, it at least showed fans they cared.
28:582. Fire Festival, The Bahamas, 2017
29:03This was a highly promoted concert series that just… didn't happen.
29:08Fire Festival was billed as a glamorous vacation on a remote island in the Bahamas,
29:13with lots of music, food, and fun.
29:182. Fire Festival, The Bahamas, 2017
29:23This was not exactly what the guests found when they arrived. First, their luggage was
29:28dumped out of a shipping crate in the dark. Next, they got a meal consisting of bread,
29:33cheese, and a small salad. There was a tent city for sleeping accommodations.
29:382. Fire Festival, The Bahamas, 2017
29:38Craziness going on everywhere. Nobody knows what to do.
29:41All the resorts nearby are sold out. It's an actual disaster.
29:46No concerts ever occurred. The organizer, Billy McFarland, had scammed everyone who bought tickets.
29:53Not to mention hundreds of island workers who had devoted their time and money into
29:57preparing for the event. Some locals in Exuma who provided the festival with services are still
30:01owed more than $100,000 by the festival's organizers.
30:04More like a dumpster fire than a festival.
30:231. Axl Rose, St. Louis, U.S. 1991
30:29All it takes is one moment to wreck a whole night. Taking photos when asked not to is undoubtedly bad,
30:37and yet Axl Rose's response was still, somehow, too much. While at the river port in 1991,
30:44he noticed the photographer and called for his removal.
30:47Hey, take that! Take that!
30:49When security failed to appear, he took things into his own hands,
30:53and leapt into the crowd to grab the camera himself. A fight ensued.
30:57I'll take it, goddammit!
31:02When the smoke cleared, Rose made a dramatic exit. The rest of the band soon followed.
31:07I'm going home!
31:09The audience revolted, causing a three-hour-long riot that nearly landed Rose behind bars.
31:15He would later prove how adept he was at inciting chaos, by causing a riot in Vancouver without
31:21even stepping foot in the city. The damage estimate at General Motors' place, $100,000.
31:27Which of these concerts do you think would have been the worst to attend? Let us know in the comments
31:32below. However, police arrested him on an outstanding, unrelated warrant.
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