Stage Crashers at Zach Bryan & Jason Aldean Shows Stir Concern
In a somewhat strange coincidence, two of country music’s biggest stars both saw fans rush the stage at their shows on Thursday (7-25) evening. The two situations couldn’t have been handled more differently with Zach nonchalantly blowing it off, and Aldean watching as security wrestled the stage crasher off stage. But both took on a troubling aspect.
Zach Bryan was performing at the Superdome in New Orleans when a fan was able to make it on stage while Zach was singing a slow song. If it was during his show ender “Revival” where all kinds of folks usually end up on stage, he might not have even been noticed. The guy walked to the center of the stage, holding his arms up in victory, then approach Zach who stopped the song, took out his in-ear monitors, and shook the guy’s hand. The fan then raised his arms up again in victory as some in the crowd cheered.
Not recognizing the fan, members of Zach’s band then moved in-between the fan and Zach before the fan finally walked off the stage. “I got no f–kin’ idea who that was,” Zach said as the fan disappears from sight. “Don’t sneak on this stage man,” continued Bryan, before saying, “That kid is a legend.”
Almost simultaneously, Jason Aldean was performing in Savannah, Georgia at the Enmarket Arena when a fan jumped on stage. In this case, a security guard was immediately on the fan as two uniformed police officers came in to assist in the apprehension. Jason Aldean and the band didn’t miss a beat during the entire altercation, with Aldean gawking at the scene from center stage.
How the situations were handled probably gives some insight into the personalities of the two performers and their crews. Nobody was hurt and nothing really happened, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t in the future.
It’s hard to not recall the incident with legendary guitar player “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott of Pantera and Damageplan who was assassinated on stage in 2004 by a crazed fan named Nathan Gale at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio. Along with Dimebag, the band’s head of security Jeffrey “Mayhem” Thompson was killed tackling the gunman, along a venue employee Erin Halk who tried to wrestle the gun away from the shooter, along with a fan named Nathan Bray. Three others were wounded before Nathan Gale was killed by a local police officer.
It was the Dimebag Darrell incident that really ceased the practice of stage crashing that was especially popular at punk, metal, and grunge shows at the club level in the ’90s, and generally speaking, was either allowed or sometimes even encouraged.
Though it’s always cool when artists take the time to meet their fans at the merch table or outside by the bus, it should always be on their terms. Whenever someone crashes a big arena stage, you can’t help to assume the worst, which creates a safety issue, including for the stage crasher who may be nothing more than a drunk fan, or someone fulfilling a dare.
July 27, 2024 @ 8:55 am
Most of the time its just a stupid act done by someone thinking they are more important than they are. But its not something that should be encouraged. In bryans case, if this person had done something to hurt him in any way, there would have been lots of questions as to where security was at.
July 27, 2024 @ 9:04 am
You can run the risk of making too much of this. But that video of Zach Bryan really freaked me out, just because it felt like the beginning of a video where something really bad happens, even though it thankfully didn’t. For someone to even get on stage, layers and layers of security already have to break down. And then the fact that security was nowhere to be found as the dude just comes up to Zach is another level of disturbing.
You can tell the guy was surprised he was made it there himself, and then kind of didn’t know what to do because he just assumed security would grab him immediately, which they didn’t.
July 27, 2024 @ 9:44 am
This is New Orleans. It’s always been and always will be this wild, expect the worst and hope for da best. I would never depend on ANY New Orleans security/police force to protect me. Corruption and apathy are widespread. You should always bring your high level enforcer to handle immediate proximity anyway. One drawback to being an A list performer. Zach needs a Road House Dalton on his personal squad. Jason’s crew seemed to be on point because he kept playing.
July 27, 2024 @ 10:24 pm
He’s got one whenever he needs it. Just a phone call away.
July 28, 2024 @ 8:34 pm
That’s insane. There should be no “flavor”” to a particular area, security should be security and if that’s the case, I would never ever book something in that city again.
July 27, 2024 @ 9:11 am
It’s something I think about far too often in the world we live in. I mostly go to small venue shows where there is little to no security present enough to stop anyone from walking onto the stage and assaulting or worse to one of our favorite artists. Sadly, I know that most of those places can’t even afford what should be realistically needed to ensure their safety.
The fact that some nut at an Enormodome type of show can break through the security perimeter and make it on to the actual stage is mind boggling and shows a lack of intelligence and execution of the individual venue to do whatever it takes to make sure that never happens. They have plenty of money and have no excuses at all about having the proper manpower.
July 27, 2024 @ 9:14 am
Stage crashing is as old as stages. It doesn’t accomplish anything, but people keep doing it and always will. Live events and idiots are a bad combination.
July 27, 2024 @ 11:53 am
And alcohol usually has something to do with it as well
July 27, 2024 @ 9:50 am
I’ve seen some other outlets really ripping Aldean for this. The “Try that in a Small Town” crap. I think that’s total bullshit. I don’t blame him one bit for letting security handle it. Trigger has too much class to say one or the other handled it better. I am thankful Zach’s approach ended well. He really took a chance there.
July 27, 2024 @ 10:05 am
What do you expect Jason Aldean to do, start chucking knuckles with the guy? Security was handling it, and that’s their job. Aldean’s job is to sing and play. I think the Zach Bryan issue was way more alarming because security was nowhere to be found. I don’t blame either performer for reacting the way they did. It’s just wild both of these things happened on the same night. Though some will say, “This happens all the time,” it’s very rare these days. I got detained by security for shooting photos of Billy Strings a couple of weeks ago. Some random dude that works at Starbucks was able to get on stage and shake Zach Bryan’s hand, and security was nowhere to be found. Strange times.
July 30, 2024 @ 7:42 pm
The funny thing is I remember when stage crashers tried to fight Run The Jewels (critically acclaimed underground rap duo of El-P and Killer Mike, widely known for a very raucous show), they made the mistake of forgetting that Killer Mike is trained in judo and he was able to throw the assailant before security piled in. And that’s to say nothing of the smaller shows I’ve seen where stage crashers do more damage before getting their asses kicked. Hell, I’ve had people try and get in MY face when I’m singing karaoke to grab the mic or get physical.
That should not be the expectation of performers to have that skillset.
July 27, 2024 @ 9:59 am
Good that both artists are safe. It’s sad there is a need for security but Zack’s needs improving.
July 27, 2024 @ 10:33 am
Maybe there was a slight slant to the stages, I don’t know.
July 27, 2024 @ 10:43 am
Zach Bryan didn’t have a bunch of his fans shot and killed and hundreds injured by a shooter in Las Vegas
July 27, 2024 @ 7:31 pm
But still doesn’t advocate for stricter gun laws…
July 28, 2024 @ 5:49 pm
There isn’t a way to tighten gun laws that wouldn’t quickly lead to the banning of all guns. If I thought there was a way to tighten restrictions on some guns I would be more open to it but in all liklihood the US would end up with the same restrictions of Australia, England, and Canada.
I won’t even get into all the suspicious “glowing” things about the Braddock shooter story that just don’t make sense.
July 28, 2024 @ 8:37 pm
Strait,
I specifically requested folks do not engage in politically oriented comments in this thread. It’s blowing through that stop sign that results in comments getting deleted, and comments sections shut down. Please respect this request.
July 28, 2024 @ 8:48 pm
Yeah because I was obviously being super disrespectful with the wording of my comment. (Sarcasm)
July 28, 2024 @ 8:54 pm
You were respectful with your wording and I appreciate it. That wasn’t the problem. The problem is one political comment leads to a dozen.
July 28, 2024 @ 2:15 am
Your a liberal idiot. He didn’t know that was going to happen . Go ahead and support immigrants going into our country in 4 star hotels while we have homeless veterans that served our country living on the streets and give all our money to Ukraine.
July 28, 2024 @ 7:23 am
Folks, this is a music website, not a political one. Let’s please keep the discussion on the topic at hand.
July 27, 2024 @ 12:37 pm
Aldean’s security handled it properly. Bryan needs better protection. There are far too many mentally damaged people out there. Better safe than sorry.
July 27, 2024 @ 1:15 pm
Hey Folks,
I’m shutting down the comments section temporarily as we do some heavy maintenance on the site. This will ensure nobody’s comment get inadvertently deleted during the process. As soon as the process is done, we’ll re-open comments. Thanks for your understanding.
July 27, 2024 @ 7:09 pm
Comments back on!
July 27, 2024 @ 8:23 pm
Don’t assume they have a difference in demeanor due to how their stage hands handled the crashes. Don’t you remember all the people killed while Aldean was onstage in Vegas years ago? I’m sure that’s something he will never forget and I’m sure his security while on stage has been elevated ever since then.
July 28, 2024 @ 2:23 pm
In important news, saw the Turnpike Troubadours last night in Delaware. They ripped and roared. Evan is thousand times more energized since the hiatus. He looks happy and fulfilled.
Here is the set list.
KCS
Whole Damn Town
Gin Smoke Lies
Something to Hold On To
Before the Devil Knows
The Bird Hunters
Good Lord Lorrie
A Tornado Warning
7&7
Every Girl
Shreveport
Blue Star
The Mercury
Unrung
Mean Old Sun
Brought Me
Diamonds & Gasoline
For the Sake (RC Edwards Interlude)
Long Hot Summer Day
The Housefire
Pay No Rent
They have been changing up the openings and it works. “KCS” and “Whole Damn Town” are awesome songs. Then again, 7&7 is not up there among my favorites. Interestingly, they only played two new songs and Evan did flub the second verse of “Brought Me.” But he laughed it off and apologized and finished strong. I wanted “Chipping Mill” but I am glad we only got two from the latest album.
RC’s song was solid. Much better than that drunk tune.
The place came alive on “Long Hot Summer Day.” I love “Pay No Rent” but it is not an ideal ender.
July 27, 2024 @ 8:51 pm
You simply do not ever go onto a stage unless you are invited. Period. Most people understand that. Folks who try clearly have issues, and should be handled swiftly and decisively. The legendary incident to me, is the time a guy tried to get onstage to attack Elvis. It was in Vegas, and famously, Elvis wasn’t having it, and he quite literally gave the guy a straight up kick in the chest, he went down, security got him, and The King continued as if nothing happened. That’s how it’s done!
July 28, 2024 @ 9:25 am
While I am not a fan of Andean, he WAS playing at the Las Vegas concert where one of the largest mass shootings in the history of the US took place. He has to have PTSD from that. I’m sorry but these people are performing and doing their JOB. They don’t need their workplace crashed by anyone. Also, as a huge music lover, I pay a lot of money to see concerts, not some Joe Shmoe storming the stage.
July 28, 2024 @ 10:09 am
I agree.
July 29, 2024 @ 6:53 am
Was at the ZB show ant the Superdome and as soon as I walked up to the Champions Square entrance pre-screen I was completely surprised by how lax security was. They were just waving the crowd through the metal detectors.
I assumed there would be another set of security once they scanned our tickets at the gate since the 1st set was non-existent. Nope. Scanned tickets and walked right in.
I’m not a huge of security theatre, but have become accustomed to at least a metal detector and bag check at Stadium and Arena sized shows.
July 29, 2024 @ 7:15 am
1. I think Zach Bryan handled that as well as he could have.
2. The Jason Aldean/Enmarket Arena *staff* handled it better so that Jason Aldean and his band didn’t have to deal with it.
I have no idea who does logistics for Zach Bryan and if it was his team or Superdome who blew it. But it just can’t happen. You can’t know who is going to be simply silly and annoying like the Zach Bryan concert. You have to assume they have sinister intent and drag them the hell out of there.
July 29, 2024 @ 11:33 am
I was at the NOLA ZB show along with my wife and two children, 13 and 11. The atmosphere was very safe and relaxed from a security standpoint. The atmosphere was also “safe” in that the there were no drunks, fights or even folks passing a doobie. I sense Zach’s entire crew, him included, remains new to this and maybe a bit naive. I believe Z remains humble, probably adding to the lackadasical approach to his security. But even if he was guarded like a President…well you know the rest. 1 committed nut job and its over. And for the record, Levi Turner was good enough for me to start checking him out. Jason Isbell and the 400 unit play like headliners. (Second time to see him this year. I find his person to be insufferable and his live music to be undeniable.) And for Zach – who else fully appeals to 50 year old men and 13 year old girls? His band is stellar and his songs are better live than recorded. I kick myself for not catching him in a club years ago.
July 31, 2024 @ 6:06 am
Making a mountain out of mole hill with this one.
August 3, 2024 @ 9:51 am
How many of these security folks will wind up hiring on with the Secret Service?