Anthrax's Joey Belladonna Tackled by Security Onstage in Los Angeles

Posted on Oct 23rd 2011 1:00PM by Jason MacNeil Comments

John Shearer, Getty Images

Anthrax's concert last night (Oct. 22) at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles was interrupted when a fan jumped onstage and approached lead singer Joey Belladonna. Venue security sprang into action, but unfortunately for Belladonna, it did more harm than good.

As can be seen in a YouTube clip posted Sunday morning (and available below), the band was performing 'Metal Thrashing Mad' when a fan approached Belladonna. The frontman stepped back before getting behind the fan to restrain him. A security guard on the floor then jumped to the stage and ran headfirst into the fan and the singer, knocking both hard to the ground.

More security entered the fray, some trying to restrain angry bassist Frank Bello, who went after the security guard. Belladonna can then be seen talking to guitarist Scott Ian about what happened.

"It's pretty smart to tackle the singer," Scott says onstage. "F---ing geniuses they are working here, huh? I guess they haven't seen him up here on stage for the last 90 minutes. He's in the band!"

"Thank you very much -- sorry about that," Belladonna says afterward, adding that he's not used to being tackled onstage. The band resumed playing and finished what Ian later dubbed the "best show of the year" on Twitter.

"Joey is banged up but OK," he tweeted earlier this morning, following the concert. "You'd think security would know he's in the band. He'd only been on stage for 90 minutes. #geniuses."

"Wow. Joey Belladonna body slammed by security on stage tonight in LA," one fan tweeted, adding that Bello went after the offending security guard.

Fans also posted comments regarding the incident on the band's Facebook page. "Thanks for the show tonight in L.A.! Please come back soon and I hope Joey is feeling better after that dumbass security guy tackled him down," one wrote.

Barring any injuries Belladonna may have sustained, the group will continue its North American tour -- which wraps Nov. 19 in Milwaukee -- this evening in San Francisco. The group is touring behind the new studio album 'Worship Music.'

Watch Anthrax Singer Joey Belladonna Get Tackled By Security in Los Angeles