7 Dumb Ways to Get Arrested at a Concert
With this summer's concert season set to break attendance records, it's time to remember a few key items on your concert checklist: don't forget the tickets, be sure to put on some sunscreen, and, oh yeah, don't get arrested.
Like any event with crowds of people (and typically a lot of alcohol) concerts seem to generate their fair share of dumb crime stories.
Here are seven sure-fire, and really dumb, ways to get yourself arrested at a concert.
- Drive home intoxicated. Drunken driving is never a good idea. But police will definitely be on the lookout for people driving under the influence leaving a concert. And getting pulled over isn't even the worst way to get arrested for DUI after a concert: You could also get in a wreck and kill your friend
- Drink at all if you're underage. If you get caught drinking underage, like these 18 kids at a recent Brad Paisley concert, you could end up getting cited as a minor in possession. Not to mention potentially losing your driver's license, having to pay fines, and lots of other totally uncool stuff.
- Get too aggressive in the mosh pit. For some reason, people are still trying to start mosh pits at concerts. Whether you call it moshing, slam dancing, "pitting," or hardcore dancing, it doesn't take much for moshing to turn into fighting, which quickly leads to arresting.
- Expose yourself. You might remember the famous story of The Doors frontman Jim Morrison getting arrested for exposing himself on stage. Guess what? You don't have to be on stage to get arrested for exposing yourself at a concert.
- Stage dive on someone's head. If a mosh pit is dangerous, diving headfirst off the stage is really dangerous, both for you and the people you're diving on. If you stage dive onto someone who isn't expecting it, you could get arrested for battery or like Fishbone frontman Angelo Moore, who had to shell out $1.4 million dollars.
- Jump on stage and screw up the show. Some performers like (or at least tolerate) people jumping on stage and giving them hugs. Less welcome? Jumping on stage and taking over the mic to talk about politics. People didn't pay to come see you, but they'll still probably clap for you when you get arrested.
- Leave your kids in the car. Can't find a sitter while you go to the show? You should probably just stay home. Leaving your kids locked in the car is never a good plan, but especially not in the summer.
Nothing can harsh a mellow summer faster than having to go to jail. Have fun, enjoy the music but don't get arrested.
Related Resources:
- The Concert Industry's Big Hot Summer (The Wall Street Journal)
- Band Arrested for Blocking Freeway to Perform (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
- Did A$AP Rocky Really 'Assault' Fan at Concert? (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Live Nation Settlement Could Mean Free Tickets, Discounts (FindLaw's Decided)