Spiritbox frontwoman Courtney LaPlante has issued a new statement addressing online criticism following an incident at the band’s live show. The incident occurred at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix, AZ on July 15th. LaPlante stopped the performance to have a violent concertgoer removed from the pit.
LaPlante clarified that the individual in question was not moshing but was actively punching other attendees. She also addressed the online backlash that followed media coverage of the event.
“It was old drunk man punching people in head who were facing the stage in small amphitheater VIP pit, several times while we were playing,” LaPlante said. “Not appropriate or fun for anyone else there!”
She explained why she did not publicly detail the full situation at the time and defended her decision to intervene.
“I didn’t say what was happening on stage, and it doesn’t say what actually happened in the article, but I wasn’t thinking about the internet when I stopped the show,” she continued. “3 times we told security about him so that was the final straw and I’m glad I did it, he wasn’t moshing.”
LaPlante acknowledged the criticism she received and noted that the limited information available made it easy for people to misinterpret the situation.
“So I get that it’s easy to dunk on us, with the info actually provided,” she said. “It is what it is, the person who already thinks I’m lame and not a part of this culture isn’t crazy to assume from the article that I kicked someone out for moshing, and I will survive another day.”
She also addressed a specific comment she made during the show that drew additional scrutiny and explained the context behind her words.
“I think it was just because of my ‘karate’ comment, I was trying to make a light joke to kind of break the tension, people were really freaked out by that guy punching kids in the face,” LaPlante said. “I also called it a rock show, bc it IS — we are opening for EV. I’m a guest in their house.”
The incident and LaPlante’s subsequent statements sparked a wide-ranging conversation across the heavy music community. The full picture of what happened that night in Phoenix only emerged gradually through firsthand accounts and video footage.
The show was paused just before Spiritbox launched into “Soft Spine.” LaPlante halted the set after being alerted that someone in the crowd was hurting other attendees. Footage of the moment circulated widely online, showing LaPlante telling the crowd the band would not continue until the situation was handled. After venue security removed the individual, LaPlante took a moment to check on the safety of the affected fans before the performance resumed.
Eyewitness accounts confirmed that the person had been behaving aggressively in the pit and had knocked at least one attendee down. The band had already flagged the individual to security three times before LaPlante made the decision to stop the show entirely. This detail became central to her defense of the incident once the full story began to surface.
The online response was sharply divided. Some social media users criticized LaPlante for the language she used during the confrontation and for referring to the event as a “rock show.” Others praised her for prioritizing audience safety over the momentum of the performance. The criticism intensified after initial media coverage omitted key details about the nature of the fan’s behavior, leading many to assume the ejection was related to moshing rather than targeted violence.
Spiritbox was performing as the opening act for Evanescence on the North American tour run, with Nova Twins also part of the touring package. LaPlante’s reference to being “a guest in their house” reflected the dynamic of the support slot. Her decision to stop the show — even in that context — underscored the seriousness with which she treated the safety of the audience. The incident has since drawn widespread attention within the heavy music community, with many artists and fans weighing in on the broader conversation around crowd safety at live events.
Source: x.com/corklezlaplante
