Rock ‘n’ roll and bats – a pairing as classic as peanut butter and jelly. Forty-two years after the infamous Ozzy Osbourne bat-beheading bite seen round the world, Taylor Momsen, lead singer of The Pretty Reckless, was bitten by a bat onstage while opening for AC/DC in Seville, Spain, on Wednesday night (May 29th).
According to Consequence, the stranger than fiction moment occurred during the band’s performance of “Witches Burn,” when a bat flew onto the stage and clung to Momsen’s leg. Unaware of the bat’s presence initially, Momsen continued her performance until addressing the crowd’s urgency by saying, “You guys are pointing at something, and I don’t know what you’re seeing,” and then, the realization, “There’s a fucking flying bat on my leg right now! Can someone help me please?” She then took a moment to reference the very song being performed, “I must really be a witch!”
Footage from the concert shows her bandmates and a photographer rushing to her aid. The photographer managed to knock the bat off her leg but not before capturing a few close-up shots.
Following the incident, Momsen shared a video of the episode and her subsequent hospital visit on social media. In the video’s caption, Momsen called the ordeal a “ROCK AND ROLL MOMENT” and followed up with her treatment plan writing, “he was cute, but yes he bit me … so rabies shots for the next two weeks,” she also thanked the hospital staff who dubbed her #batgirl after seeing the story on the local news.
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Momsen appears to be in good spirits and is continuing with her rabies treatment as The Pretty Reckless supports AC/DC on their UK/European tour through mid-August.
The Pretty Reckless are touring to promote their 2021 album, Death by Rock and Roll, as well as Other Worlds – a compilation of alternate versions of previously released tracks – while AC/DC are on their first tour in eight years.
This bat attack is no doubt getting permanently inked in the annals of rock history, giving Momsen a legendary stage story to share for years to come.