Garth Jacob
Audio By Carbonatix
Earlier this week, Westword reported that jam-band fan Garth Jacob was sucker-punched in the face at a Joe Russo’s Almost Dead concert at Red Rocks. The jam-band fan, who has no plans to stop going to concerts anytime soon, was flummoxed by the attack: He had never seen nor met the perpetrator before. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department is currently investigating the incident.
In response to our story, readers weigh in about violence at concerts and within the jam-band scene.
Erik writes:
About 4 or 5 years ago, at Umphreys at Red Rocks, some random dude attempted to start a fight with me, while crossing the row looking for my friends. I’ve been to a couple other jamband shows here, and have seen such hostility multiple times. It might be just the Denver scene itself.
Andrew adds:
This happens at jam band/hippy shows in Denver. I’ve never had problems at hip-hop or EDM shows. Just saying.
Jay Polo notes:
Damn, the jam band crowd is usually pretty passive.
Jessica opines:
Why I don’t like crowded events. You never know when there’s some crazy POS there.
Of course, violence is not isolated to the jam-band scene. Here is some of our reporting on assaults at concerts.
A fight broke out following Luke Bryan’s concert in Denver, resulting in the hospitalization of three people.
Aaron Thackeray
“ Violence After Luke Bryan’s Denver Concert Leads to Hospitalizations“
Luke Bryan is able to make a stadium show feel intimate.
Aaron Thackeray
“Reader: Country Concerts Are Always the Most Rowdy“
“Jeramie Gerhardt Gets Jail Time, Probation in Mayhem Concert Assault“
“Sucker Punch: The ‘Big Bitch’ Could Bite Fighting Concert-Goer“
On August 16, Jacob had been sitting in the third row at Red Rocks, waiting for the second set of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead concert, when he turned around and a man he’d never seen before punched him in the face.
“I took the punch square in the mouth. It immediately knocked out one of my front teeth and fractured another,” Jacob says. The punch also broke his palate and his alveolar process.
“It wasn’t a young guy, and it wasn’t a full-on wook,” Jacob says. “It was not the person you would expect to do it, and it’s pretty baffling, honestly.”
Security escorted Jacob to the medical tent, and he was then taken to the hospital, where he received stitches. Read the rest of his story here.
Have you experienced assault at a concert? Send your stories to editorial@westword.com.