Metallica fans banned for life after 'incredibly stupid' speaker tower stunt at show in Australia
Two Australian Metallica fans have been banned from a venue for life after climbing up a speaker tower during a gig last month. Beau William Loch Rollings, 20, and Rory Hugh Culbert, 23, were arrested after they scaled the tower during the thrash giants' performance at Optus Stadium in Perth on November 1.
They clung to the scaffolding, at heights ranging from 10m to 50m, for around 20 minutes after jumping over safety fencing designed to prevent fans from doing exactly what the pair did. Despite the risks, the pair gave no explanation for their actions and their mobile phones, which contained footage of their stunt, were seized by police.
The pair pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, and were charged with trespassing. Perth Magistrate Ruth Dineen said, 'Something that seemed funny at the time' resulted in both men being charged. The defence lawyer, Rachael Gemmell, described the antics as 'just stupid behaviour', and the magistrate agreed, saying it was 'an incredibly stupid thing to do and a good way to ruin your night out'.
Rollings was fined $1000 and ordered to pay $308.80 in court costs. Culbert was handed a similar penalty in the same court and both men were banned from the stadium for life. Metallica's Perth show featured a career-spanning setlist from metal's biggest band, with nine of the Four Horsemen's 11 albums getting a showing. Despite being part of the M72 world tour, designed to promote Metallica's most recent album, 2023's 72 Seasons, only one track from the album was played in the form of Lux Æterna.
