Rapper hit by bottle at gig
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Under attack … Australian hip hop star Illy walked off stage to protect himself and his band after he was hit in the face by a glass last weekend. Picture: Supplied
Source: Supplied
AUSTRALIAN rapper Illy has called for zero tolerance of missile throwing at gigs and offenders to be charged after being struck near his eye at a Victorian show last weekend.
The ARIA award-winning hip hop star canned the Traralgon gig when a glass was hurled at his head from the audience just five songs into his set on Saturday night.
The rapper said while he valued the support of his fans, he had to take action to deter others from the dangerous practice of hurling bottles, coins or other missiles at the stage.
Most artists can’t see anything being thrown at them from the audience because of the stage lights and are unable to take evasive action to avoid injury.
Those holding instruments are even more constrained from dodging any object thrown at them.
Illy apologised to fans who had travelled or booked hotel rooms to see the show and “missed out because of one f … wit.”
He said he suffered a nick and a “bit of a black eye” but could have been blinded if it had landed just millimetres higher.
The majority of his fans supported his hard line against the practice and condemned the perpetrator.
Taking a stand … Australian hip hop star Illy. Pic: Supplied by Warner Music
Source: Supplied
“But bottom line, I owe basic respect to myself, and to the people I share a stage with. They’re fam. There has to be a zero tolerance for that s …,” he wrote on Facebook.
“If me or my crew get hurt and have to cancel shows, there’s a group of people I’m responsible for who are directly effected. It’s bigger than just me.”
The venue Kay Street claimed they serve drinks in plastic but said the offender had been identified and the gig rescheduled for November 8.
“This patron has been identified and will be barred from the venue, ongoing and further action will be taken,” they posted on their Facebook page.
Illy said he wanted charges laid to discourage the “tiny, tiny percentage of punters” who think it is acceptable gig behaviour.
“This is my workplace and it is something I love doing and if this happened to anyone else in their place of employment, there would be charges. If it happened to another punter, charges would be laid,” he said.
“I don’t want to be the poster boy for sweeping reforms but this ruins the night for everyone, it’s so dumb and there are consequences.”
Australia’s live music scene has a bloody past courtesy of the dangerous practice.
Here are some other violent encounters:
The Angels — New Year’s Eve 1979, Sydney Opera House
More than 100,000 people in the crowd and thousands more at home witnessed frontman Doc Neeson slump to the floor and bassist Chris Bailey knocked out when they were hit by bottles hurled from the crowd. Both required stitches to deep cuts. The Opera House steps were not used for a rock concert again until the Crowded House farewell concert in 1996.
Dangerous … Courtney Love can live dangerously on stage or the speaker stack. Picture: Ellen Smith.
Source: News Corp Australia
Hole — January 1995, Selina’s, Coogee
Frontwoman Courtney Love had climbed the speaker stack to the ceiling and lost her shoes when she jumped off. One was thrown back on stage by a punter and knocked out bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur, provoking a Love tirade and an abrupt end to the gig.
The Veronicas gave the crowd a stern talking-to when Lisa was hit in the face. Pic Mark Calleja
Source: News Corp Australia
The Veronicas — October 2006, Coke Live and Local, Adelaide
Lisa Origliasso was hit in the face with a bottle and the twins threatened to end the gig, screaming abuse at the section of the crowd who were throwing missiles. Lisa later played down the incident, saying “I got a bottle in my face. It was quite amusing until it hurt … but I recovered nicely.”
Silverchair — Big Day Out 2008 Sydney and Melbourne
Frontman Daniel Johns appeared to have a target painted on his head during the band’s return to the Big Day Out festival stage in 2008 with both their Sydney and Melbourne sets punctuated by a steady stream of airborne objects. Keyboardist Paul Mac said a metal ninja star passed within a millimetre of his head. In Melbourne, Johns abused the perpetrators and incited the crowd to boo them. Johns had been hit in the head several times before during America concerts including one of their earliest shows in Santa Monica in 1995 and needed stitches.
As I Lay Dying — Soundwave 2008, Sydney Showgrounds
Bassist Nick Hipa copped a nasty bottle in the face during their set which was immediately stopped because of Workplace Health and Safety regulations. Hipa required treatment at hospital. The following year, rockers Every Time I Die arrogantly suggested As I Lay Dying should have gone on with their show and invited audience members to throw bottles at them. The fans complied and hundreds of missiles rained down on them.
