Eric Clapton scraps encore in Madrid after being struck by a flying vinyl record

From flowers to bottles, music punters have been lobbing things onstage at artists for years. However, nowadays even approving fans have started throwing potentially dangerous things at the stars they adore; Eric Clapton recently stormed offstage at a gig after being struck with a flying object mid show.

Last Thursday (7 May), Clapton was struck by a flying vinyl record during a gig in Madrid’s Movistar Arena. A video of the incident shows Clapton smiling to himself as he walks offstage, before a vinyl whacks him in the chest. Despite the setlist showing that the rocker was set to return for a further encore, he opted to cut the show short, ending on pre-encore track Cocaine.

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While the projectile wasn’t necessarily harmful, there’s been an alarming increase in fans throwing objects at musicians as of late. It’s no longer a case of giggling about sweaty boxers landing onstage beside you – now, performing onstage has become a game of dodging flying phones, vapes, and disposable cameras.

Very sad indeed. What kind of idiot does that? pic.twitter.com/0bNZ3wYFU7

— Pablo Rodríguez (@Paulhewsonrm) May 7, 2026

Previously, throwing things at artists has been associated with putting on a bad performance; Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine has gone on record in the past saying that, if you’re putting on a good show, you should be in the clear. However, that’s not the case any more.

It’s gotten to a point where some artists have started ejecting fans for throwing things at them onstage. Country singer Riley Green asked security to throw out a fan after he took his phone’s ‘airplane mode’ setting a little too literally, hitting Green in the face mid-performance.

@rabbitcar07

Riley Green hit with a phone in Melbourne! @Riley Green #rileygreen #melbourne #tough

♬ Gemini – So Lis

Despite Clapton deciding not to return for his encore in Madrid, it’s not put him off performing. The rocker is still in the swing of his European tour, before a grand Sandringham Estate gig is set to take place later this summer on 23 August. The gig will see him joined by the likes of Ronnie Wood and Andy Fairweather Low.

For more information on Clapton’s upcoming tour dates, check out his website.