Watch crowd throw Courtney LaPlante out of Spiritbox

When you’re pouring raw energy onto the stage, the focus should be entirely on the music and the connection with the crowd. But sometimes, a show takes an unexpected turn, forcing performers to step away from the spotlight and address real-life situations unfolding amidst the chaos.

During a recent performance at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, Arizona, the Canadian metal band Spiritbox was supporting legends like Evanescence and Nova Twins. As they delivered their powerful track Soft Spine from their second studio album, the atmosphere was electric, but an incident quickly pulled the focus away from the stage.

Drummer Zev Rose spotted someone in the audience engaging in aggressive behavior toward other fans. Recognizing that safety came first, frontwoman Courtney LaPlante immediately made a pivotal decision to halt the concert and address the situation directly.

“Zev is taller than us and he’s up on the kit, and he sees some fucker right now,” LaPlante told the audience. “We’re not gonna play another song and this show is not gonna continue until we make sure everybody out there is safe.”

Rather than ignoring the disturbance, LaPlante turned to the crowd, appealing for collective action. She asked fans to step up and identify the individual causing trouble, emphasizing that tattling was necessary to ensure everyone’s well-being.

“I need you guys to be tattletales – who’s the fucking freak that’s hurting everybody? Point them out,” she instructed. This intervention highlighted a message of mutual responsibility—a reminder that a rock show is about shared respect, not conflict.

Once fans pointed out the person involved, LaPlante addressed the aggressor directly, confirming that security had already located the individual. She managed the situation with firm authority while maintaining an empathetic approach:

“Well guess what, fucker? We all saw you, we know where you are and your ass is gonna get kicked the fuck out.”

She then crouched down to speak privately with one of the affected individuals, ensuring they were okay. “Hey, are you OK, bud? I know that you didn’t mean to draw attention – I’m sorry to draw attention to you, but that’s fucked up, OK?”

LaPlante concluded by emphasizing the nature of the event: “This isn’t the damn gold medal karate match, OK? This is a rock ‘n’ roll show.” She reiterated her commitment to safety, reassuring fans that while security was present to handle things, their instinct to look out for one another remained paramount.

The incident served as a stark reminder that even during high-energy performances, the responsibility for crowd safety remains central. Spiritbox continues to push musical boundaries, having received praise for their sound, including a four-star review from NME calling them “awe-inspiring modern metal.”

The band is currently embarking on extensive touring across North America with Evanescence and Nova Twins, preparing for a major UK headline tour that will take them to venues like Glasgow’s SEC and London’s OVO Arena Wembley in September.