Will Berman, drummer for Brooklyn pop band MGMT, abruptly abandoned his post on-stage Sunday night after an audience member struck him in the torso with a pint bottle. Two songs shy from wrapping up their set at England’s Manchester Apollo, MGMT continued on as an obviously angry Berman exited the stage.
Not noticing his absence during “The Handshake,” the band at last realized Berman was gone just as they were about to launch into their biggest hit to date, “Kids.”
“Where’s Will gone?” the band asked the crowd. Despite the band’s requests, Berman wouldn’t return to the stage.
With their drummer missing, the band played “Kids” over a backing track. AOL’s Spinner.com reports that the crowd didn’t mind, and the song won the night’s biggest applause. Below is video of a drummer-less MGMT playing “Kids”.
MGMT performed their final track, “Congratulations” (the fourth single and latest video off their recent album), without percussion. The band will continue through October 8 with tour dates in Leeds, London, Brussels, Amsterdam and Paris.
MGMT released their psychedelic sophomore album, Congratulations, in April 2010, after getting the party started (and even praise from Paul McCartney!) with their 2007 debut, Oracular Spectacular.
Already discussing MGMT’s third LP, guitarist/vocalist Andrew Van-Wyngarden told Spin this month, “We have some ideas and have been talking about possible directions of where to go next. I definitely think our music will change in the future because Congratulations is almost two years old now. We are just in much more positive mental states than when we wrote Congratulations. We’re less anxious.”
Thanks for the report to Ellen Barnes, Gibson.com.
I just can't figure out what drives someone to throw sh1t at the stage. If you like the band, show some respect. If you don't like the band, don't go to the fckin show! No brainer!
Imagine getting tagged in the face with a pint bottle.
organeyes11 :
congradulations released april 2010. i love these guys but christ! lay off the MDMA, it wasnt released 2 years ago!
i thought the same thing when i read the article posted yesterday, but then i realized he probably means that they wrote the music 2 years ago. so the music and the feelings associated with it are 2 years old to them, whereas its still fairly new to us.
looks like people are finally coming around and realizing how awful this band is. not that I would wish harm on anyone, but that bottle represented people coming to their senses.
mgmt's first album was so promising...they continue and continue to disappoint... congratulations wasnt very good, they admit to being ok with their record label controlling their musical direction, and now the drummer leaves in the middle of the set? what a vagina. i used to really like them too
Doesn't actually say glass bottle, does it? He may just have been being a pussy and it was a plastic bottle with maybe some liquid in? Am open to corrections though
"Will Berman then left the stage to dry off and the band **finished the set without him, a nice non-percussive version of MGMT's current smash single "Congratulations." EVERYONE then returned for a steamy full band encore of "Future Reflections" and "Brian Eno"" Quoted by Andrew VanWyngarden. AND ALSO: "s for the whole label-not-giving-them-artistic-freedom thing, we aren't even close to starting the process of making a new album, label-relations are currently quite friendly, we are very proud of "Congratulations" and the new videos, looking forward to making more music on Columbia, and the (mostly sold out) world tour has been going splendidly THANKS FOR ASKING. Don't believe everything that you read (even on Pitchfork.com)." So yeah.. Kinda annihilated the whole topic.
"I don't know why ya keep throwin those flat ol ****in drinks on stage, I don't want em.... id just as soon ya don't do it...I mean, I don't show up at your work and throw drinks at you...(mumbles)" ~Lemmy Kilmister of motorhead
Well the person who did that is clearly a douche, plastic or glass bottle, you don't like the band then don't go, you like them then respect them...
What I'd like to understand though is how they managed not to notice their drummer was gone?? Do they all play in separate rooms?
