The subject of stagediving has been a touchy one in the metal community as of late, and the following story is another example of when things can go horribly wrong. Four years ago in February 2010, a woman named Kimberly Myers was injured at a Fishbone show at the WXPN World Cafe when frontman Angelo “Dr. Madd Vibe” Moore leaped from the stage. Myers lost consciousness after the stagedive, which reportedly left her with broken skull and collarbone and, as a result, she now suffers from memory problems, shoulder pain, and lupus. The resulting lawsuit had its final ruling last Wednesday that found Myers awarded with $1.4 million.
The judge’s ruling includes comments that Moore went on with the performance after the injury and that he has not shown much remorse over the incident. His testimony apparently included the statement that “every couple of months an ambulance is called to the concert venue” (which, to be fair, doesn’t help his case). It should also be noted that Myers didn’t go to the venue to see the band. In fact, she reportedly didn’t know the band was playing at the cafe at all.
No doubt fans will and have been debating about this subject, but there’s something that should be noted here. One thing you’ll hear from any rock and metal frontman at shows is an encouragement for fans to be safe and look out for each other. Moore apparently didn’t display such a mindset, so whether or not you enjoy stagediving at shows, you can surely agree that safety is key to both fans and band members.
[via Pollstar]
