Summary Ekstrom described the scene 'disturbing' which made him stop in the middle of the gig. Photo:Getty
(Web Desk) – Rhythm guitarist Brendan Ekstrom of American rock band Circa Survive walked off stage during a song to confront a man who was seemingly harassing a woman in the crowd.
According to the Telegraph, the 39-year-old guitarist was playing in the US city of St. Louis on July 21 when he amazed his fans and band members by his sudden exit from the stageto confront the man allegedly thought to be harassing a woman. He later came back on to the stage after a few minutes and resumed playing.
The guitarist later took on to Twitter to explain in a series of tweets of what he found “disturbing”.
He tweeted: “Quick note to those who were at the show last night. I ve been doing this for 20 years and I ve never walked off stage during a song before.
Quick note to those who were at the show last night. I ve been doing this for 20 years and I ve never walked of stage during a song before.
— Brendan ekstrom (@Brendanekstrom) July 22, 2017
“For almost a whole song I watched a guy stand a row behind a girl flirting and then trying to kiss her. It was hard to tell what was really happening.
“At times she seemed OK with his advances but after the second time of watching her push his face and hands away and try to turn back to watch the show I asked the security guard to go check on them. He couldn t see what I was pointing to and it was still happening.”
Ekstrom explained that he had to leave the stage when the security guard couldn’t see what the guitarist was pointing at and walked straight for them.
“I left the stage and walked straight for them, my mind an emotional blur. Security followed me."
“The man seemed dumbfounded when I showed up as if nothing was wrong."
“I don’t know what happened after. I went back to stage to finish the show. Security took it from there.”
Ekstrom said he didn’t see the man and woman after he resumed his set: “Maybe they were removed or just moved. Maybe they were in a relationship. Maybe they weren’t”.
See them again after that. Maybe they were removed or just moved. Maybe they were in a relationship.
— Brendan ekstrom (@Brendanekstrom) July 22, 2017
“Regardless, what I saw from stage was disturbing to me and completely removed me from the mindset I need to be on stage,” he said.
“It wasn’t cute. It was alarming. I’m almost forty and flirting doesn’t look like that. Maybe it’s that I have a daughter or that I’m older.”
“I really don’t know but it made me furious to watch a girl forcibly remove someone’s hands from her body multiple times. I still don’t feel great about how I handled the situation. I borderline blacked out in some weird rage mode.
I still don t feel great about how I handled this situation. I borderline blacked out in some weird rage mode. it makes me nervous to think
— Brendan ekstrom (@Brendanekstrom) July 22, 2017
“It makes me nervous to think about how I would handle situations like this in the future, especially if it was with someone I knew or cared about, especially if it is my daughter.
“I’m sorry to my band for not communicating the situation better and leaving them standing on stage confused.
“And I’m sorry to fans who were equally confused and saw a bit of an unusual show.”
Them standing on stage confused. And I m sorry to fans who were equally confused and saw a bit of an unusual show.
— Brendan ekstrom (@Brendanekstrom) July 22, 2017
His humble apologies to the fans were overwhelmingly accepted. Fans poured in tweets calling him a great person and praised him for his heroic action.
Point being... your shows are filled with positive energy and you should be proud for making sure they stay that way. It makes a difference.
— B. (@rawkbon) July 22, 2017
