Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe was reportedly attacked by a gang of five people before the metal band played in Ireland on Monday at Dublin’s 3Arena. Blythe explained the attack and resulting injuries in a lengthy Instagram post, just prior to stepping onstage at the show.
Clearly irate at the random act of senseless violence, Blythe posted his account of the assault by a group of teenagers the previous night. Confronted while trying to take pictures of the beautiful city at night, the singer was reportedly struck with a weapon by one of the attackers and suffered a split-open eyebrow and smashed glasses.
“Last night around midnight I walked one block away from my hotel to take some long exposures,” he wrote. “Right after I shot this very frame, I looked up and saw 5 or 6 teenage dudes (16- to 18-year-olds?) in hoodies and track pants spreading out around me. ‘Well, crap, I guess it’s on,’ I thought. I started stepping quickly into the street away from the little cul-de-sac where I was (it was a bad spot to be trapped), trying to keep my eye on all of them at the same time. One kid drew up to my left getting close and BLAM — someone else hit me in the head from behind with something (I think they had a stick or whatever). I saw stars for a second, then I heard car horns and a cabbie was driving at these kids and I was standing in the street trying to shake it off, because that little fucker had rang my bell pretty good.”
Blythe went on to dedicate the song “512” to his alleged attackers during the 3Arena gig, the song’s title being a reference to Blythe’s cell number from his time in a Czech prison in 2012 when he was accused of causing a fan’s death. He was later acquitted.
