Watch Tom Morello launch selfie-taking fan’s phone into the crowd

Tom Morello (Image credit: Tim Mosenfelder - Getty)

Tom Morello was just one of the artists who played at last weekend’s 1010WKQK’s Piqniq festival at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre at Tinley Park, Illinois.

During his performance, he invited fans up on to the stage while he played. But one was left red-faced when he attempted to take a selfie with Morello.

As can be seen in the video footage below, Morello was having none of it and grabbed the phone and threw it into the main crowd.

Morello later reacted to the moment on Twitter, saying: “Put a phone in my face onstage and I’ll throw it. #LiveInTheMoment. Great fun today at the 101WKQX show. #SweetHomeChicago.”

The guitarist later received some flak on Twitter about the incident, to which Morello responded: "When you invite guests to your stage and clearly tell them, ‘If you stick a cell phone in my face I will throw it’ and then their uncontrollable entitled selfie urges overcome their sense of reason, they get their f*ckin phones thrown. Simple.”

He later added the fan got his phone back.

Last month, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford hit the headlines when he booted the phone from the hands on a front row fan during their set at the Rosemont Theatre in Illinois.

He later explained: “The facts are we love our fans and you can film us all you like and watch our show on your phone rather than in the flesh.

“However, if you physically interfere with the Metal God’s performance, you now know what will happen.”

Morello and Halford join a growing list of musicians who have reacted to fans with phones at concerts in recent years, including A Perfect CircleGreen DaySlipknot's Corey TaylorDisturbed and Peter Frampton.

Tom Morello: The Atlas Underground

Tom Morello: The Atlas Underground
Tom Morello moves away from his work with Prophets Of Rage with The Atlas Underground, bringing together artists from the worlds of hip hop, EDM and pop.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more for Louder. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, The Tragically Hip, Marillion and Rush.