Legendary rock and blues guitarist Eric Clapton cut short his concert in Madrid after being struck by an object thrown by a fan. The incident occurred on Thursday at Movistar Arena, during what was his first performance in the Spanish capital in 25 years.
Incident Details
According to Guitar World, the 81-year-old musician had just finished his set, concluding with his cover of J.J. Cale's 'Cocaine,' and was returning to the stage for an encore when the object was launched at him. A video clip shared on social media platform X shows Clapton smiling and walking out to applause before being hit in the chest by what appeared to be a vinyl record. He did not return to perform the expected encore, which would have been his cover of Bo Diddley's 'Before You Accuse Me.'
Fan Site Response
Clapton's fan site, WheresEric.com, addressed the incident, stating that the musician's 'first appearance in the city in 25 years ended on a down note.' The site assured fans that 'Eric is fine,' but issued a warning against throwing objects at the stage, emphasizing that such actions can seriously injure band members, crew, venue staff, or other concertgoers.
Upcoming Shows
Despite the disruption, Clapton continued his European tour as scheduled, performing in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday. He is set to wrap up his European dates in Munich, Germany, on May 17, before heading to the United States for six shows in September.
Recent Trend of Objects Thrown at Artists
This incident follows a troubling trend of fans throwing objects at musicians during concerts. Last summer, country star Luke Bryan was hit in the face by a ball thrown at him during a performance at the North Dakota State Fair. In 2023, pop star Bebe Rexha was struck in the face with a cellphone during a show in New York City, resulting in a black eye and a severe laceration to her eyebrow that required stitches. These events highlight the growing concern over audience behavior at live performances.
