GODSMACK Frontman Scolds Security For Using 'Unnecessary' Force While Tackling Fan (Video)

GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna scolded the security for using "unnecessary" force while tackling a fan during the band's concert on August 31 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Just as GODSMACK had begun to play the song "Awake" while on tour as the headliners of the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival, a shirtless fan jumped onstage, ran around for a couple of seconds and then proceeded to place a hat on top of Erna's head. It was at that point that a couple of security guards came flying from both sides of the stage and tackled the fan, prompting Sully to stop midway through the song and instruct the guards to back off.

"Way fucking unnecessary, guys," Erna can be heard saying in a fan-filmed video clip of the incident (see below). "Put him down. Seriously, that's crazy. The kid put a hat on me. It's okay. I don't need a fucking medic. Let him go back and enjoy the show. It's called fucking rock 'n' roll."

A couple of seconds later, Erna and his bandmates continued the show from the second verse of "Awake".

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe recently spent five weeks in a jail in the Czech Republic where he is facing manslaughter charges in connection with the death of a fan more than two years ago.

Blythe, 41, is accused of causing the fatal injury that occurred at LAMB OF GOD's May 24, 2010 show in Prague. The singer allegedly either pushed or struck a 19-year-old fan named Daniel N. — a guitarist in a local metal band — and that person died almost a month later of bleeding in the brain.

A number of rockers have come to Randy's defense, with many of them citing the 2004 shooting death onstage of PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott as the reason why musicians are so defensive nowadays about fans invading the stage.

DISTURBED drummer Mike Wengren told The Pulse Of Radio not along after Dimebag was shot that his death had cast a shadow over live performing. "I think one of the most scariest things is, you go up onstage, and there's this energy transfer between the band and the crowd, and you almost feel invincible. You feel very empowered. Never in a million years would anyone ever think something like that was even possible, and I think it just caught everyone off guard. It's pretty scary."

Speaking to Metalholic.com, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH drummer Jeremy Spencer said, "I think for fans these days, especially after the 'Dimebag' Darrell incident, I just think don't [go up] on stage unless you're invited — I mean, that's the only time. Because everything changed after that day. . . These days, it's almost better to stay off the stage unless you're invited, I think. That's my take on it, anyway."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael simply tweeted, "Everything changed on December 8, 2004. #stayoffthestage #FreeRandyBlythe," while ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian wrote, "It's complete and utter bullshit for him to be treated like a criminal for something he didn't do. Now fans can see firsthand why there's no stage diving anymore. Especially in the post-Darrell world we live in . . . Of course it's sad that this person died, it's a tragedy, but it's not Randy's fault."

Video below: GODSMACK performing "Awake" in Pittsburgh (The incident in question occurs around the 18-second mark.)