Bring Me The Horizon frontman Oli Sykes issued a statement after he got hit by a phone thrown from the audience while performing onstage on May 11th at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO. He revealed he suffered from mild concussion. The statement was shared on Instagram.
The statement addressed his condition following the incident. It explained how it affected his performance that night.
“Alright everyone — just wanted to let you know I’m all good,” Sykes said. “The phone to the head definitely smarted and I ended up with a mild concussion, but the swelling’s gone down a decent amount already.”
He went on to explain how the injury impacted his stage performance.
“Last night I was struggling a bit on stage afterwards because signing was putting a lot of pressure on the wound and making things feel a bit disorienting while performing, so I’m sorry on my part for what may of seemed like a half hearted performance,” he continued.
The frontman concluded his statement by thanking fans for their concern. He provided an update on upcoming shows.
“Appreciate everyone checking in and worrying about me though,” he said. “Everything should be fine for tonight gig.”
The incident occurred during a particularly vulnerable moment in the band’s performance. This highlighted the ongoing safety concerns at live music events.
Louder Sound reported that the phone struck Sykes at the end of the song “Happy Song” while he was crouched at the front of the stage engaging with the crowd. Video footage captured his immediate angry reaction to the incident. The frontman picked up the phone and shouted at the audience member responsible.
“Who the fuck just threw a phone at my fuckin’ head? You fuckin’ tosser,” Sykes was heard saying in the footage. This demonstrated his frustration with the dangerous fan behavior.
The injury had immediate consequences for the band’s performance that evening. Stereogum noted that the band was forced to cut “YOUtopia” from their setlist. Sykes skipped his usual crowdwalk during “Drown” due to the disorientation caused by the concussion. Despite the injury, the band completed the show. Sykes acknowledged his performance may have seemed “half-hearted” to fans.
This incident reflects a troubling pattern of dangerous fan behavior at concerts that has been escalating recently. Loudwire revealed that just days prior to the St. Louis show, Eric Clapton was hit by a thrown vinyl record during a performance in Madrid, Spain. This forced him to cut his show short. The trend has also affected other genres, with country singer Riley Green requiring five stitches after being struck by a thrown phone in March.
The Enterprise Center incident underscores the growing safety risks faced by performers who engage closely with their audiences. This particularly affects frontmen who position themselves at the edge of the stage. Despite the injury, Bring Me The Horizon continued with their scheduled US tour dates. No cancellations were reported following the St. Louis show.
