Stage invader at Black Crowes show proves hard to handle, gets a guitar to the face

Rich Robinson
(Image credit: Javier Bragado/Redferns)

If it wasn't clear by now, going on stage uninvited when an artist is performing is not acceptable. So when an invader rushed the stage at 20 November's Black Crowes show in Melbourne, all bets were off.

The male, no insubstantially built individual, was insistent on evading security and Crowes vocalist Chris Robinson took a lunge with his mic stand in an effort to get him off the stage. When that failed to land, the lone security guard tussled with the invader and brother Rich Robinson then stepped in, pushing him from the stage using his Telecaster. 

Even after the guitar connected with the unwanted guest, it failed to get him offstage, and Rich Robinson had to push him off by hand. By now the band's performance of Stare It Cold had ground to a complete halt as the Crowes and crowd heckled the invader. Then we assume he was ejected from the venue as the… remedy.

It's no laughing matter of course, anything could have happened, especially as it looked like the invader had emerged from the wings of the stage. Once he was gone the Crowes kicked back into the song again.

Rob Laing
Guitars Editor, MusicRadar

Rob is the Reviews Editor for GuitarWorld.com and MusicRadar guitars, so spends most of hi waking hours (and beyond) thinking about and trying the latest gear and making sure our reviews team is giving you thorough and honest tests of it. He's worked for guitar mags and sites as a writer and editor for nearly 20 years but still winces at the thought of restringing a Floyd Rose guitar.