Incident Overview · Festival Set Interruption
Big Day Out PerthMarilyn Manson Set
During Marilyn Manson’s performance at Big Day Out Perth 1999, projectiles were thrown from the crowd. The accessible source record agrees the set ended early or was aborted, while details about the projectile type and injury description remain mixed.
Core Facts
What Happened
Overview
Crowd Projectiles End The Set
During Marilyn Manson’s Big Day Out Perth performance, objects were thrown from the crowd and the set ended early. The clearest accessible sources agree on the interruption, but they do not line up perfectly on the exact projectile, who was injured, or how the injury was described.
The strongest injury detail in the research file comes from an ABC Double J retrospective quoting organiser Viv Lees, who said a glass bottle hit Manson’s guitarist and cut his face. A setlist source says Manson himself was hit multiple times by water bottles.
Later reporting also repeats the backstage inflatable pool story, saying Manson slashed it after leaving the stage. That detail is colourful, slightly ridiculous, and still operationally useful: it shows how fast a stage incident can become a backstage issue too.
Review conflicts →Quick View
Incident Highlights
Operational Picture
Known Sequence
Perth leg takes place
The 1999 Big Day Out Perth event is linked to Bassendean Oval on 31 January 1999.
Marilyn Manson performs
The performance forms part of the 1999 festival tour, with Marilyn Manson listed among the major acts of that era.
Projectiles are thrown
Sources describe the performer or guitarist being hit by bottles or missiles from the crowd.
Set ends early
Accessible sources describe the show as aborted or Manson storming off halfway through the set.
Backstage issue reported
Later reports say Manson slashed an inflatable backstage pool with a Stanley knife after leaving the stage.
Venue Strong
Bassendean Oval / Steel Blue Oval is well supported as the event venue.
Set Interruption Strong
Multiple sources support that the Marilyn Manson set ended early or was aborted.
Injury Detail Mixed
The stronger accessible source says the guitarist was cut; weaker derivative sources describe a technician.
Casualty Claims Weak
High injury claims, including 400 injured, were not verified from stronger accessible sources.
The set interruption is well supported. The exact injury description, projectile type, and any high casualty count remain shaky and should not be presented as firm fact.
Conflicting Information
What Does Not Line Up
Who was injured, and how described
Sources differ on whether the injury involved Manson’s guitarist or a technician.
Editorial note: the ABC Double J source quoting organiser Viv Lees is the stronger accessible source in the research file.
Type of projectile
The sources agree that objects were thrown, but differ on what those objects were.
Editorial note: more than one object may have been thrown, but that cannot be confirmed from the accessible source set.
Cut short or fully aborted
Different sources use different language for how the performance ended.
Editorial note: the wording differs, but both versions support that the set ended early.
Unverified Details
Sources
Reference Cards
Double J / ABC
Big Day Out — 1999
26 January 1999
ABC page listing the 1999 Big Day Out lineup and identifying Marilyn Manson at the 1999 festival. Useful for event and lineup context.
Visit Source →Double J / ABC
The 7 best backstage stories from the Big Day Out
7 October 2019
Retrospective account quoting Big Day Out organiser Viv Lees. It states a glass bottle hit Manson’s guitarist and cut his face, the band left the stage in disarray, the audience was near a riot, and Manson later slashed an inflatable backstage pool.
Visit Source →Jon Coghill / ABC News
Big Day Out will struggle to restore its former glory
27 June 2014
ABC commentary confirming the 1999 Big Day Out era and headline acts including Hole, Marilyn Manson and Korn. Included for festival context.
Visit Source →The West Australian / AAP
Marilyn Manson bound for Perth
13 August 2009
Later Perth report saying Manson’s 1999 Big Day Out appearance ended with him storming off stage halfway through the set and slashing an inflatable swimming pool backstage.
Visit Source →The West Australian
Top music acts head to Perth
12 August 2009
Repeat later report on the 1999 Perth background, again saying Manson stormed off halfway through the set and slashed the inflatable pool backstage.
Visit Source →The Straits Times / NewspaperSG
Untitled digest item referring to Perth concert
2 February 1999
Brief contemporary digest stating that Marilyn Manson was bombarded with missiles and abuse at a Perth concert. One of the few accessible contemporary references in the research file.
Visit Source →setlist.fm
Marilyn Manson Concert Setlist at Big Day Out Perth 1999
Event page updated 25 January 2026
Event page identifying Marilyn Manson at Bassendean Oval, Perth, Australia on 31 January 1999. It says the show was aborted after Manson was hit multiple times by water bottles thrown from the crowd.
Visit Source →Marilyn Manson Live Recordings Archive
Perth, Australia - Bassendean Oval (Big Day Out Festival)
No page date stated
Archive page for the Perth recording. It says Manson was pelted with bottles, became angry, jumped into the moshpit looking for the thrower, and was reportedly seen slicing the backstage inflatable pool.
Visit Source →AFL
Steel Blue Oval
No page date stated
Venue page saying Steel Blue Oval is also known as Bassendean Oval, has capacity 22,000, gives the address as 740 Old Perth Rd, Bassendean WA 6054, and notes the ground previously hosted events such as Big Day Out.
Visit Source →inHerit / Heritage Council of WA
Bassendean Oval
No page date stated
Heritage entry identifying Bassendean Oval, also known as Steel Blue Oval / Bassendean Recreation Reserve, with location wording of 140 Old Perth Rd, Bassendean. Supports venue identity but not the incident itself.
Visit Source →inHerit / Heritage Council of WA
Bassendean Oval printable entry
No page date stated
Printable heritage record confirming the same venue identity and location wording for Bassendean Oval / Steel Blue Oval.
Visit Source →Source Links
