Metal shows – they tend to get violent. Generally violent in that way where you get knocked on your ass, some people help you back up, and nobody gets actually hurt. Generally it's all in good fun. Unfortunately, at a Machine Head show in Southampton, UK, someone took things a little too far.
According to a lengthy statement posted by Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn, someone suplexed fan Dan Giles, which left him unconscious for 45 minutes. Flynn says Giles walked outside to the ambulance alright but disapproves of that sort of extreme violence.
You can read Robb's statement below, and Giles actually responded to the entire incident as well! Giles says he was drunk, might have pissed off the dude who suplexed him but he's not too sure, and definitely has some busted ribs.
“Robb here: The man on the floor is Dan Giles, Dan was severely injured at last nights show when during a song near the end of our set. Several witnesses confirmed that Dan (who is a big dude to begin with) was picked up by a larger unknown dude and “suplexed” WWE-style (turned upside down and dropped on his head). He was knocked unconscious for 45 minutes.
We stopped the show after people alerted us that he was not getting up, and we were unable to finish the concert as we waited for an ambulance to arrive, combined with a strict Sunday night curfew.
Dan was laid out on the venue floor for over 90 minutes. He eventually came to, and thankfully was able to walk to the ambulance through a great amount of pain in his chest. He felt bad for stopping the show.
To say that Machine Head does NOT in any way approve of this WWE-type of behavior at our show would be a fucking understatement.
Machine Head shows are rough, we know it. Part of the fun of being at our shows is the rowdy, drunken, nature of it all, circle pits, jumping, releasing negative energy in a positive way. Hell, surviving a Machine Head pit is part of the danger and fun of our concert experience. I myself can’t tell you how many “war wounds” I walked out the pit with when I was young, and I’m proud of every one of ’em. Busted nose, chipped teeth, broken rib at a Slayer show in 1991… they were all lived-to-tell-about-it-moments… some bizarre rite-of-passage young men put themselves through.
But it is an unsaid rule of the circle pit, that if someone falls, you pick them up… you love your brother! I often bellow these words as a reminder to folks before starting a giant circle pit, to “look out for each other”. We’re all here to work out our own struggles and bullshit that we are going through as individuals.
It should go without saying that picking somebody up and slamming them on their head, is COMPLETELY FUCKING LAME! I can’t imagine the dude who did this is a Head Case or even someone who regularly goes to metal shows. More like some asshole there to start shit.
This is the 2nd show in a row now, where we’ve had to stop the concert because of a serious injury.
Complicating things even more, is that for the first time in 24 years of touring, people are now regularly waving-us-down to “stop playing” because someone fell or got hurt. It happened 4 different times last night, and we finally stopped when there was clearly a serious issue.
The tough call is that, in MOST cases the injured person is fine, and gets up. Obviously stopping the show every time someone falls down, will basically ruin the show for thousands of folks. But at the same time we need to find a balance between violent-fun and safety.
This is uncharted territory for us.
You’ll have to bare with us a we figure out the best way to approach this, and involving well-trained concert security familiar with Machine Head-type shows at a higher level will absolutely be important.
The good news is, is that long-time Head Case Dan Giles walked out of the venue last night, and while I’m sure he’s feeling it today, is going to be able to rage at another Machine Head show again.
Thank you Southampton for what was great show up until then, send some good vibes to your local boy Dan Giles.”
Here's Dan's statement.
So…not the way I wanted to meet one of my idols…
I’ve got a few things to says about last nights antics…
Firstly a massive thank you to all of the venue staff, paramedics, the doctor who was by my side when I came round (sorry can’t remember names!?!), the police, everyone that stood back and gave me space and of course machine-fuckin-head…!
Look, I had too much beer, was enjoying the mosh way too much, was probably being a dick, maybe I don’t know went in a bit hard on the dude that dropped me?! I can’t remember, but I’m lead to believe that he was the guy who actually raised the alarm that I was down…if so, thanks man and sorry if I pissed you off that bad!
We all know the risks in the pit but ultimately we look after one another, like brothers and sisters.
I’m back home now with a bunch of busted ribs (which I can feel crunching and moving about when I breathe!!!) and a few lumps on my melon! Other than that, all good.
Once again, many thanks to all who helped out & apologies to all those whose evening got cut short.
