Metallica's Kirk Hammett fell off stage during Friday's concert in Dublin, days after wearing a shirt that read "Taylor Swift Is a CIA Psyop" to the band's June 13 Budapest gig.
Photos of the shirt spread across social media, and Taylor Swift fans responded with anger. Reddit and Twitter filled with complaints about Hammett's message. The backlash was immediate and sustained.
Then came the Dublin incident. Hammett slipped mid-concert and tumbled into the crowd. Online responses mixed schadenfreude with jokes about "cosmic justice." For a guitarist who had just antagonized one of music's most devoted fanbases, the timing was striking.
The fall caused no serious injury. Metallica has not commented on the shirt or the tumble. Hammett has remained silent. The band's upcoming shows are now drawing scrutiny from Swift fans online.
