"I've witnessed a few bottlings in my time."

So the festival season has well and truly begun and so has the traditional bottling. Lethal Bizzle and Elliot Minor attracted showers of bottles at Download festival sparking anger amongst both artists fans.

It's a strange feeling when a band you like is greeted by a wall of hate. You either retreat into a shell and pretend you're a neutral viewer or you become enormously protective and scream and sing until your voice disappears.

I've witnessed a few bottlings in my time. From Daphne and Celeste (who were asking for it), The Rasmus (who I felt a little sorry for) and 50 Cent (who deserved it.) Many say the bottle attack is the norm and part of a festival atmosphere, however with this years two high profile targets, Bizzle and EM, it seems to have gone too far.

The latter were pelted with rocks and to be completely un-rock-and-roll : that's a bit dangerous! At the 2006 Reading festival Panic at the Disco frontman Brendon Urie got hit face on by a bottle and hit the deck. Watching the incident on youtube, the shocking part is not Urie collapsing but the actions of the crowd afterwards: the slow clapping and football style "EASY" chants. It's something that shouldn't be found funny but is by many.

That's not to suggest I'm a complete spoilsport. One of my Reading highlights was a deck chair being lobbed at 50 Pence. His lyrics are offensive and grotesque and contained, if I remember rightly, the phrase "I smell pussy, is it you?"

However bands such as Panic at the Disco, Elliot Minor and The Rasmus are far from offensive. Having seen all three of the above bands live I'll say that none have caused me great anger or annoyance and, say it quietly, I may even have enjoyed myself. Shhh.

At least bands now get notice of their impending bottle barrage. It almost seems like it's a decision made by internet users. There is a 'first place' band who gets showered and a couple of runners up who get the leftovers.

However, bottling can, depending on the bands reaction, help better the reputation the band began the festival weekend with. Panic at the Disco continued from the very point that Brendon was knocked out leaving many observers impressed. Not to mention they returned to the same festival the following year. My Chemical Romance pulled off a pretty decent headline Download performance despite the plastic attack. This year Elliot Minor actually won a few fans for actually sounding good whilst having ROCKS pelted at them.

You can't stop the bottling but the bands can help themselves. 1) by reacting well and 2) thinking through their festival choices - Pop/rock Elliot Minor at heavy metal Download - Really?

Can we leave the rocks though and shall we predict the Reading/Leeds victims and see what happens?

Kelda

P.S. I will admit I found the Nickleback rock attack mildly amusing! Maybe because 'Rockstar' infuriates me. Sodding awful song.