The Black Crowes' guitarist Rich Robinson was involved in a minor skirmish with an uninvited stage invader during his band's show in Melbourne, Australia on November 20: as security sought to wrestle the man off the stage, Robinson took matters into into his own hands, and smashed the individual in question in the chest with his guitar, forcing him back into the audience.
Readers with long memories might recall The Who's Pete Townshend famously employing a similar tactic to remove political activist Abbie Hoffman from the stage at Woodstock festival in 1969, when the Youth International Party spokesman hijacked Townshend's microphone to protest at the imprisonment of MC5 manager John Sinclair for marijuana possession. Townshend cracked Hoffman with his guitar and warned the crowd: ""The next fucking person that walks across this stage is gonna get fucking killed."
The incident in Melbourne occurred as the band struck up Stare It Cold, the tenth song of their set at the Palais Theatre. As the man ran across the front of the stage, Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson swiped at him with his microphone stand, but failed to connect. His brother had no such problem.
Watch the skirmish below:
The Black Crowes Shake Your Money Maker reunion tour resumes in Georgia on December 15, with dates in both North and South America scheduled for spring 2023.
