During a Sex Pistols concert at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Friday, October 9, frontman Frank Carter berated and ejected a male concertgoer who objected to a...
Carter has frequently created women-only mosh pits at live shows, telling NME in 2019 that the practice is a permanent fixture of the band's touring setup.
As Carter explained the reasoning behind the segregated space, the male attendee claimed that women could mosh safely at any time.
During a Sex Pistols concert at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Friday, October 9, frontman Frank Carter berated and ejected a male concertgoer who objected to a women-only mosh pit, according to reporting from Consequence and NME. The incident occurred as the band toured North America to mark the 50th anniversary of Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, with Carter pausing the show to establish a protected dancing space ahead of the track No Feelings.
Carter has frequently created women-only mosh pits at live shows, telling NME in 2019 that the practice is a permanent fixture of the band’s touring setup. The confrontation in Denver began when a male audience member interrupted the singer’s introduction. Footage shared on social media captured Carter addressing the crowd member directly from the stage.
Confrontation and Ejection at the Ogden Theatre
As Carter explained the reasoning behind the segregated space, the male attendee claimed that women could mosh safely at any time. Carter rejected that assertion forcefully.
Every time, there’s always a fucking man that tells me, ‘[Women] can do this all the fucking time,’ Carter told the concertgoer, as reported by Consequence and NME. Like, they can’t. They fucking can’t. Do you know why? Because they walk in the mosh pit and they get a fucking elbow to the head by a fucking idiot!
When the man shook his head and allegedly pointed out that the venue featured an all-gender bathroom, Carter grew increasingly exasperated, banging his microphone against his head. Consequence and NME reported that Carter told the man his reaction showed a lack of understanding.
You’re shaking your head like you’re a fucking woman? Are you fucking stupid? It’s not your lived experience, so just shut the fuck up! Carter said, before instructing security to remove the individual. Oi, security, just get this fucking lump outta here.
Social Media Response and Apology From the Instigator’s Family
Following the concert on Saturday, October 10, Carter addressed the backlash and defense of the barrier on his Instagram Stories. He emphasized that the designated space was designed to protect vulnerable fans from physical and psychological violence.
If you are a man who gets offended by a band making room for a female only moshpit then you are PART OF THE PROBLEM. Stay home, read a book by Bell Hooks, come back when kindness, compassion and empathy have landed with you. Incels, homophobes, misogynists, racists, fascists not welcome.NME
Photo: nme.com
Carter also clarified that the zone was explicitly trans-inclusive, intended for anyone who typically lacks a sense of physical safety in traditional rock concert environments. NME reported that Carter subsequently received a direct message from the removed attendee’s father, who apologized for his son’s behavior and stated that his actions did not reflect how he was raised.
When I say a Ladies only moshpit pit, I of course mean a trans inclusionary space. The space is for people who don’t usually feel safe… To dance and have fun without the worry of physical, sexual or psychological violence being used against them while they are vulnerable.Consequence
Holidays In The Sun – Frank Carter and members of the Sex Pistols, London Kentish Town Forum
