Bands/Artists That Brought Bad Crowds?

Whether you go to the concerts now, or 40 years ago... Were there certain bands or artists that brought in "bad people"? (label and describe that anyway you want)

 

I'm going to guess it would be the more aggressive music. Someone mentioned The Who on another post.

 

Black Sabbath
I saw the concert at the Cow Palace (Jan. 1984). I recall a couple fans carrying a big sign around the venue reading, "Death to Dio." With fans like that, who needs enemies.

 

Jeez, I saw The Who in 1976 and 1978 and I'm the nicest guy in the world. With all the d'bags that existed in the 60's and 70's, some of them probably went to see The Jackson 5 and The Osmonds.

 

I've went to a bunch of Dave Matthews shows back in the 90s during my college days, but every time went home thinking about what a lousy bunch of a-holes the crowd was. Wasn't like that at other shows I went to.

 

I'd venture a guess that Guns and Roses attracted a lot of ne'er-do-wells.

 

In the U.K:

The Oi! bands of the early 80's like Cock Sparra.Had big problems with the NF(National Front)hijacking gigs.
Sham 69 also had major problems.
Also the initial stages of the 2-tone movement.

Saw someone get their head kicked in at a Clash gig in Bridlington once.Nasty business!

 

The GNR shows I’ve seen were always chill. The band seemed to be a bigger problem than the crowd.

That said, Motley Crue seemed to bring out the worst people, at least that I’ve been to. Violence seemed to be in the air , and on the ground, at their shows. Lotta really bad people. Still love the band though!

 

GBH...went with hair down to my rear,and got surrounded by a bunch of skinheads aiming to end my life,when out of nowhere a GIANT skin came out of nowhere and told the mob to back off and give me respect for showing up.

Dont know who he was,or where he came from,but I'd like to buy him a beer.

It was many years before I attended another strictly punk gig.

I did,however repay the favor at a Motley Crue/Kiss show,when after the show some low life posers were lighting some dude with a mohawk hair on fire. Saved his rear.

Both shows were in SoCal.

 

lucky I never had a "bad crowd" at any gig I went to, pop, punk, rap or country. I've encountered a-holes at a lot of them, however. There's always a couple.

 

Well, there was that whole Altamont thing.

 

Insane Clown Posse would have to be at the top of that list.

 

As much as I loved these guys, for many years they attracted a rather 'bad' crowd. That changed about maybe 10 or more years ago, but sadly the band is no more.

 

I used to have to review shows for work and these D-bags back in 1999 had bar none the WORST crowd I had ever witnessed since I started going to concerts in 1974. It was at the Skydome here and hundreds of kids were hurt in fights on the floor, our Police were insulted by Fred Durst and a riot took place after the show.
Personally, I was threatened by someone that night in the crowd. It was a scary and miserable experience...(and that doesn't begin to describe how bad that band were live)
Just an overall awful experience on every level imaginable.

 

Very different now in my experience, happily.

I go to punk gigs fairly regularly. These days people apologize for merely standing in your general vicinity, sip their spritzers, clap politely then drive home in their volvos & beamers. Very civilized!

So glad I wasn't there at the time!

 

Aside from Hip crowds not always warmly receiving an opening act because they are anxious for the main event I have never heard anything about the attracting a bad crowd.

 

Yup! The late 70's/early 80's were in many ways a pretty stinky time to be going to gigs in the U.K.Especially if you were into bands like those I mentioned.The rise of the far right made for dark times.Wait a minute!!!!!

 

Once, I found myself at a Dropkick Murphys show (I know ) and that crowd really stands out as the worst. You had your white-supremacists-in-kilts kicking people, your drunk frat types shouting the lyrics to whatever, your off-duty-cop-looking-guys and their girlfriends...

 

Ugliest crowd I ever dealt with? Bowie in Sacramento - May 1990.

GA on the field at an outdoor venue, and more than a few of the "fans" figured it was their right to push, shove and hit their way to the stage.

I was a big boy back then - around 210 pounds - and I got knocked to the ground multiple times.

Most Bowie crowds were fine - I don't know what was up with that bunch of d-bags!

 

I've never been, but I would imagine he would draw the Hacky Sack crowd. Or dorks as it were.

 

Late 80’s/early 90’s Dead.

 

I second the Motley Crue crowd, my best friend went with me at PNC in NJ back in 2014, & he was taken back (and a little scared) at the amount of not so nice bikers, and people of low life stature that was there.

Ozzfest 2001 had such a ****ty crowd, my mother and I left after 10 minutes.

 

Yeah, I almost mentioned Motley Crue.

 

Great description of the attendees.

 

MC5. Saw them in Amsterdam in the early 70s. Pretty much an all male audience, pretty much all drunk and/or stoned, fighting, yelling, throwing stuff all over the place, including the stage. Scary. Left before the second set. The sound was crappy too.