A music fan's dream public proposal turned into a scene of crushing humiliation over the weekend when his girlfriend rejected him on stage at a Brisbane concert.
The Stage Set for Romance
The incident unfolded during a performance by indie-rock band Bootleg Rascal. In footage that quickly spread across social media, a male fan was invited on stage with his partner after he had contacted the band beforehand to arrange the special moment. Addressing the crowd, he recounted how they had seen the band years prior before calling his girlfriend, Jamie, to join him.
As she stood beside him, he got down on one knee to pop the question. However, the romantic script was abruptly torn up. His girlfriend was seen shaking her head 'no' while simultaneously trying to pull him back to his feet. Without saying a word, she then turned and hurried off the stage, leaving the man to slump over in visible despair after uttering a single, dejected "No?".
Band's Reaction and Aftermath
Bootleg Rascal vocalist Carlos Lara told Daily Mail the band was as stunned as the audience by the outcome. "I don't think I have ever felt more awkward on stage in my life," Carlos admitted. "I had no idea what to do or say, I was just like, 'The show must go on.'" He revealed the band's manager had approved the fan's request, and they thought it was a "cool" idea.
Carlos also addressed online speculation that the entire event was a staged stunt to promote the band's latest single, a breakup song called 'Reasons'. "In a world of fake news and AI, it does seem that way. But it was as real as can be; we had no idea what was going to happen with it," he stated emphatically.
The band later reached out to the rejected suitor to check on his wellbeing. "We spoke to the guy and he was doing all right. He was definitely seeking some beers after the show," Carlos said. In a small gesture of consolation, the band gave him a free T-shirt, quipping that "some free merch is better than nothing."
Public and Online Fallout
The band shared the awkward clip on their social media with the caption: "First show off to a great start. Not sure we'll be helping out with another public proposal for a while." Fans flooded the comments with mixed reactions.
Many expressed sympathy, with one writing, "Poor fella – anyone know if he's okay?" while another critiqued the planning: "Damn. Bro didn't even plan a speech... Romantic stuff." Others echoed the band's awkwardness, with a comment reading, "I don't think I have ever felt that awkward on stage in my life!!!"
Despite the disastrous result, Carlos confirmed the band remains open to love. "I am not against it. If anyone else wants to do a Bootleg proposal, we would love for that to happen," he said, adding, "We are all about love. If anyone else wants to do a proposal or anything else at our gigs, just hit us up!"
