Nickelback left the stage during its second song at Portugal’s Ilha do Ermal festival on August 19, 2002, after objects were thrown from the crowd. Contemporary reports agree on the abrupt walk-off, but do not consistently confirm the claim that a water bottle hit frontman Chad Kroeger in the head.
What happened at the Ilha do Ermal festival?
Nickelback’s set ended abruptly during its second song. Reports published at the time say objects were thrown from the audience as the band played, and that the musicians left before the song was finished. Correio da Manhã’s August 20 report describes the band being pelted from the moment it took the stage; Blabbermouth and Rockol also reported a walk-off during the second song.
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The incident occurred on August 19, 2002, at the Ilha do Ermal festival in Portugal, near Vieira do Minho. A festival preview published by Correio da Manhã named Nickelback, Moonspell, and Slipknot among the event’s headliners. The preview establishes the bill and location, but does not establish why some audience members reacted as they did.
Did a water bottle hit Chad Kroeger in the head?
Contemporary accounts do not consistently establish that it did. The German outlet laut.de reported that a full water bottle struck Kroeger, followed by a stone that hit his neck. It said he was not injured by either object. That account does not say the bottle hit his head, and the other cited reports do not supply a consistent account of the bottle’s precise point of impact. The most careful description is therefore that a water bottle reportedly struck Kroeger, while the specific head-impact claim is unconfirmed by these contemporary reports.
#1 Best Overall
- Released in 2005, All The Right Reasons is Nickelback’s best-selling album. In March, the album was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for achieving over 10 million units in sales and streams.
According to laut.de, Kroeger asked the audience whether it wanted rock ’n’ roll or to go home before leaving with the band. That wording is a report of his remark, not a verified transcript of a recording.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What was thrown, and what did the festival say?
Correio da Manhã listed water- and sand-filled bottles, glass bottles, lighters, potatoes, and stones among the objects thrown. The paper also reported that a young woman near the front was injured by a stone. Its account quoted festival promoter Nuno Braancamp, head of Ritmos & Blues, saying: “A estupidez de meia dúzia de pessoas estragou um concerto.” In English: “The stupidity of a handful of people ruined a concert.” The translation is from the Portuguese original.
Rank #2
- Released in 2001, Silver Side Up is the band’s breakthrough album, going 6x platinum in the US and certified multi-platinum in various territories. Their smash hit “How You Remind Me” topped charts in several countries and was nominated for a Grammy for Record Of The Year.
The accounts support a walk-off from this particular performance—not a cancellation of Nickelback’s tour or the entire festival. They also do not establish the audience’s motive. The festival’s heavier-rock bill provides context, but attributing the incident to fans of another act would go beyond what the contemporary reports establish.
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Best Value
- Format: LP
- Label: BMG
- Genre: Rock/Hard Rock/Alternative Rock
- Year: 2022
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