Placebo singer Brian Molko pauses concert in protest over fans filming their performance
Brian Molko, the legendary frontman of the indie band Placebo, decided to pause a performance in Dublin earlier this week to wait for fans to stop filming the show.
The group, which rose to prominence in the 1990s, were performing at Dublin’s 3Arena on June 26th. During the concert, Molko abruptly halted proceedings to call out a large number of attendees who appeared more interested in filming the event rather than living in the moment. Placebo adhere to a strict no-phone policy at their concerts, owing to the singer’s outrage.
However, according to some reports, no official guidelines stating the band’s position on mobile phone usage were expressed by the venue prior to the performance. Throughout the pconcert, the security crew signalled to audience members to put their phones away.
During the fourth song of the band’s set, the 2022 track ‘Hugz’, Molko stopped playing to remind fans of the policy. He said they had clearly missed the warning or were choosing to ignore the rules.
Molko explained that besides obstructing the view of other attendees, the incessant use of mobile phones “pisses” them off. As the band continued the set, Molko once again halted proceedings while performing ‘Happy Birthday In The Sky’.
This time, the frontman directly confronted one fan who had “no respect” for Placebo and their policy. “If you want the show to continue…put your phones away,” he added.
Watch fan footage of Placebo performing ‘Running Up That Hill’ in Dublin below.
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