Bluegrass star Billy Strings was struck in the head by an object thrown from the audience Thursday night during the first of three sold-out shows at Fishers Event Center, and he did not let it pass quietly.
The incident, first reported by WideOpenCountry.com, happened between songs as Strings was talking to the crowd. Video posted to social media by a concertgoer shows an object sail out of the darkness and bounce off the singer’s head about two seconds in. The fan who filmed it said he could not identify what was thrown.
Strings was not injured, but he was visibly angry. He stopped the show and delivered a blistering, profanity-heavy rebuke to the crowd, asking why anyone would throw something at him and noting that he had been about to tell the audience how happy he was to be in Indiana. He closed by asking the crowd to identify whoever did it.
Because of the language, this story does not link to the video.
The Thursday show was a makeup date. Strings postponed a run of spring concerts, including the original Fishers stop in April, after breaking his leg in a skateboarding accident backstage. The August 6 performance was among his first back on stage since the injury.
A Growing Problem at Concerts
Throwing objects at performers has become a recurring hazard at arena and amphitheater shows over the past few years. Riley Green, Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan and Kelsea Ballerini have all been hit by items launched from the crowd, in some cases requiring the show to stop.
Theories about the motive vary. Some fans appear to be trying to get an artist’s attention — tossing a phone toward the stage in hopes the performer picks it up and films a clip. Others may simply be angling for a viral moment when someone in the crowd captures the throw and posts it.
Whatever the reason, a hard object thrown from a dark arena at a person under stage lights is a genuine safety risk, both for the artist and for anyone standing nearby.
About the Venue
Fishers Event Center opened in late 2024 and has quickly become a regular stop for national touring acts in the Indianapolis metro area. Strings’ three-night stand is among the venue’s larger bookings of the summer.
Neither Strings’ representatives nor Fishers Event Center had issued a public statement as of Friday.