What is up with security guards at concerts lately? There have been several issues with guards' rough handling of fans. Last year I was at a Megadeth concert where Dave Mustaine had to stop a song to tell a security in front of the stage to back off a fan or Mustaine would have the security guard removed. This weekend, Adele had to do the same.
Adele is currently on her run of Las Vegas shows that goes from June 16th through November 4th. This past Saturday, in the middle of singing "Water Under the Bridge," Adele stopped singing to point out a fan who apparently had been standing up while she performed. The issue, however, was that more than one security guard kept hassling the fan for standing up, it seems.
In the video below, Adele can be heard saying, "What is going on there with that young fan who’s been bothered so much since I came on for standing up? What’s going on with him? Yes, you, with your hand up, yes you!”
Adele rightfully chastises security for hassling a fan
Followed by, "Why are you all bothering him?” she asked. “Can you leave him alone, please? They won’t bother you anymore, darling. You enjoy the show. Leave him alone." And then the singer starts the song over after saying that everyone is there just trying to have fun. And she's right.
At the Megadeth concert I attended, I could see what what was happening with the security guard and the fan in question wasn't doing anything any other fan was doing. I mean, Megadeth is a metal band, of course. What did security want the fans to do? Stand there with their hands folded?
Recently, a security guard for Taylor Swift was terminated from his job with BEST Security in Minneapolis, Minnesota after the security guard brought his phone with him and had a fan take a photo of him while Taylor Swift performed in the background. The guard thought he wasn't doing anything wrong, but it would appear clear that if you are worried about your photo taken from a Swiftie in the crowd then your mind is unlikely to be on the safety of Swift on the stage.
In a concert in Philadelphia in May during the song, "Bad Blood," Swift had to tell a security guard to back off a female fan. Swift didn't stop the song, but it was clear there was an issue.
Whatever is happening with some security companies now just needs to stop. Guards are supposed to be there to protect us, not hassle us, or have people take their photos. And the scary thing is performers are having to handle the issues from the stage. Makes one wonder what else is going on that the performer can't see.