Trophy Eyes speak out after “heartbreaking” stagediving accident leaves fan needing spinal surgery

4 May, 2024

Trophy Eyes. Credit: Press/Supplied

Trophy Eyes have spoken out about a “heartbreaking” stagediving incident involving frontman John Floreani that left a fan needing spinal surgery.

During a show at Mohawk Place in Buffalo, New York last week (April 30), Floreani stagedived into the crowd, but one fan – Bird Piché – ended up with serious injuries, requiring emergency surgery.

The Australian post-hardcore band have now shared an official statement on their social media channels, alongside a link to a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Piché.

“As the result of a tragic accident on the night of April 30th, a Trophy Eyes fan was injured at our Buffalo NY show,” they wrote. “We elected to immediately shut down the show as John accompanied them to the hospital with their family.”

“Out of respect for the family, we have refrained from speaking about this publicly so far, but with the blessing of their family we are now able to say how truly heartbroken we are to be here now. Our friend, Bird, is now in recovery, but still has a long road ahead for them. A gofundme has been set up by their family, you can donate below.”

“This situation has shaken us all to our core, and we ask for patience while we look to help Bird navigate this difficult time,” they continued. “Please, keep Bird in your thoughts. We remain in close contact with them and will expand on this as new news arrives.

According to the GoFundMe page, which at time of writing has raised over $35,000, Piché suffered “a catastrophic spinal cord injury” and underwent “extensive surgery”.

“It is still too early to know what her prognosis is but after leaving the hospital she will need to go to a rehab facility,” it adds. “She will obviously not be able to work during this time.”

As reported by Stereogum, Trophy Eyes have a history of incidents relating to stagediving. After an Atlanta show in 2023, a fan criticised them for “encouraging mosh pits and crowd surfing”, to which the band replied: “fuck you”.

Trophy Eyes’ most recent release was 2023’s ‘Suicide and Sunshine’, their fourth studio album and their first since the departure of their long-time guitarist Andrew Hallett. He has been replaced by Josh Campiao.

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