The Biggest Live Music Mishaps And Fails
In a perfect world, all music concerts would work like clockwork, where fans would be able to enter the arena, watch the artists perform their favourite songs, and everyone would have a good time. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world, and it’s not uncommon for live music performances to go completely awry. Sometimes it’s nothing but a slight mishap that causes some laughs, while other times it can be so bad that the entire event needs to be shut down.
Pink – Nuremberg
Pink is a performer well known for her antics on the stage, including all manner of gymnastics. During the encore for the 2010 tour she was whirled around the concert on a set of cables while performing a song. The cables had not been secured properly into her harness, and during the show she was dragged off of the stage and into the pit area below. She immediately complained of severe pain, and was rushed off to the hospital for X-rays and, but ultimately was not seriously harmed.
U2 – Vancouver
U2 had been performing their famed “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” while touring in the city of Vancouver. It was the last song of the day, but The Edge had not been watching where he was walking, and stepped off of the side of the stage, where he fell down into the area just below. While staff immediately rushed to his aid, lead singer Bono was able to keep the song going despite the mishap.
The Foo Fighters – Gothenburg
The Foo Fighters are known for their incredible energy while performing live, but sometimes it can prove a bit too much for the performers. During a live concert in Gothenburg, lead singer Dave Grohl had wanted to sing on the edge of the stage, but had accidentally tripped and stumbled straight off, a drop that was 2.4 meters high. He tried to stand up after the mistake, but it turned out that his leg was broken, and that the show had to be cancelled. Medics rushed to the scene, where they put him into a stretcher, and the crowd cheered for the singer as he was taken from the venue.
Oasis – Toronto
Not every mistake that takes place is because of the band or faulty equipment, and like betting on the AFL grand final, there’s always a little risk involved. A good example of this is the show that Oasis was putting on during the 2008 Virgin Festival in Toronto. While the band was playing their hit song “Morning Glory” a man managed to get up on the stage and push lead singer and guitarist Noel Gallagher off. Security rushed in straight after and tackled the man while Gallagher slowly moved into the wings. Some minutes later he returned to the stage, telling the fans that the band needed a few minutes to recover, after which the band continued with their show.