This past weekend, both Zach Bryan and Wiz Khalifa found themselves confronting disruptive fans at their respective shows mid-performance, once again calling attention to the troubling trend in live music: objects being thrown at artists on stage.
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Country superstar Bryan had to stop his Tacoma Dome show in Washington after an item was tossed on stage, striking one of his on-stage guests. Holding up the item, Bryan turned to the crowd and asked, “Who threw this? Who was it? Does anyone know?” When no one confessed, he issued a stern warning, saying, “Don’t throw s— at concerts, huh? And if you guys do know who threw it, you need to get ‘em outta here, if we ever find out who did it.”
Across the pond at Club 808 in Pattaya, Thailand, Wiz Khalifa experienced a similar disruption during an afterparty for Rolling Loud Thailand, after he paused his set when a fan threw stacks of money on stage.
The rapper, who was performing his Billboard No. 1 hit “Black and Yellow,” stopped to address the behavior in a video circulating social media: “Stop throwing money on the stage. I’m not a stripper, dog. Quit throwing money on the stage.” Though the fan quickly apologized, Khalifa doubled down, saying, “I’ve already told you once. I’m not a dancer. If you don’t know, I’m Wiz Khalifa.”
Both Khalifa and Bryan resumed their performances after addressing the disturbances, but it again highlights a troubling trend that has seen artists increasingly dealing with disruptive fan behavior. Drake recently had a fan throw a vape onto his stage, Pink was shocked when someone threw their mother’s ashes at her, and Bebe Rexha suffered an injury after a fan threw a phone at her face during a performance.
Despite the disruption, country crooner Zach Bryan continues to have a major year. He is among the leading finalists for the 2024 Billboard Music Awards, alongside Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, and Sabrina Carpenter. The awards show, hosted by Michelle Buteau and presented by Marriott Bonvoy, will air on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Fox and Fire TV Channels.
It will also be available on-demand on Paramount+, with performances rolling out on Billboard.com and Billboard’s social media platforms.
