Placebo's Brian Molko stalls gig in protest at fans filming on their phones

Placebo frontman Brian Molko paused a show in Dublin this week to wait for fans to put their phones away and stop filming.

The gig took place on June 26 at the 3Arena, and saw the vocalist call out multiple attendees over their phone usage, despite the venue announcing that none could be used for the majority of the show. However, according to the Express, no official guidelines were stated beforehand aside from the announcement, meaning that many fans may have not known of the band's strict anti-phone rule.

As punters took their phones out to begin filming the show, they were soon challenged by security who warned them of the ban.

During the fourth song of the set - 2022's Hugz - Molko began berating fans for recording the previously-played opening tracks, declaring how they must have clearly missed the announcement which restricted phone use.

Molko explained that phone use can not only hinder the view of other attendees, but that with the band playing their final dates of their UK/EU tour, they've got little patience for those that wish to ignore the rules, noting that it "pisses them off".

The next song - Happy Birthday In The Sky - was then restarted, with the frontman directly challenging one fan for still ignoring the phone ban, declaring that they clearly had "no respect" for the band and their wishes. "If you want the show to continue...put your phones away," he said.

Throughout the concert, security guards were seen reminding attendees of the restriction, adding how phones could only be used at the end of the show.

While some fans agreed with Placebo's anti-phone rule, others were less impressed, with attendees from multiple dates of the tour taking to Twitter to share their feelings. 

"The Placebo gig was absolutely superb! The band were on top form. Sure glad I took mr Molko's advice and kept my phone away for the whole gig to truely (sic) be in the moment. And it was so refreshing not to watch the gig through the phones of everyone in front of me", wrote a fan.

One less-impressed punter writes: "Went to see Placebo tonight and Brian Molko went on a mad one telling people to not use phones. Stopped a song to point out someone was recording him. I'm not one to record fuck all at a gig but at the same time, relax man. 3 arena stewards then going around like Gestapo".

While another says: "I'd show you some pics from Placebo in Glasgow tonight but they were reinforcing the "no phones out at any time" policy so stringently that I had a torch shone at me for resting my cup on my walking stick as I sat because they thought it was a phone."