Eric Clapton Ends Madrid Show Early After Crowd Throws Stuff

Photo Credit: Eric Clapton by Raph_PH / CC by 2.0

Eric Clapton didn’t give fans in Madrid his usual encore after he was hit in the chest with an object from the crowd and left the stage afterward.

Eric Clapton usually returns to the stage for an encore after playing his classic hit “Cocaine,” but that was not the case at his Madrid concert on May 7. Footage posted on social media shows that Clapton seemed to be hit in the chest with what appeared to be a vinyl record tossed from the crowd. As a result, he didn’t come back out for an encore after finishing the song.

The moment happened just after he performed “Cocaine,” which is usually the point at which Clapton leaves the stage and then returns to play an encore. But after the incident, he did not return to the stage.

Reports suggest that the fan who threw the vinyl did not intend to cause him any harm (nor did it appear to cause injury to Clapton when the item made contact), and the record was even accompanied by a “note of affection.” However, even with the best of intentions, throwing an item on stage doesn’t always have the desired effect—and that was certainly the case here.

The former Cream guitarist reportedly “became angry” after the incident and chose not to return to the stage. The star has yet to address the incident, but unfortunately, he’s far from the first musician to be hit by an object thrown from the crowd.

A surge of concert incidents between 2023 and 2024 saw numerous artists hit by objects thrown from the audience, including Kelsea Ballerini and Harry Styles. Bebe Rexha required stitches after a fan threw a cellphone directly at her face while she was performing in New York, and Ava Max had a fan slap her in the face after rushing the stage in Los Angeles. Other artists who have had items thrown at them during performances in the last few years include Drake, Pink, and Steve Lacy.

The 81-year-old Clapton is currently on his European tour, which is set to resume in Barcelona on May 10, before he makes his way to Germany for shows in Mannheim, Cologne, and Munich. He has a single UK date scheduled for August 23 at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, before he heads to North America for a short arena tour. He then headlines the Crossroads Music Festival in Austin, Texas.