A Vanilla Ice concert was cut short Thursday night after a confrontation between the rap music performer and members of the audience, Salt Lake police said.
The struggle began soon after Vanilla Ice, a stage name for Robbie Van Winkle, began his performance at the Tower Theatre, 925 E. 900 South, Sgt. Craig Gleason said."There were people in the front row who had actually gotten up on the stage," he said. "Most of the people (police interviewed) were under the impression that one, almost without provocation, struck Vanilla Ice and things went downhill from there."
Gleason said the entertainer apparently struck back, but "I think the tone at the scene was that it was entirely understandable" that he retaliated.
Vandals subsequently inflicted about $1,500 damage to the performer's tour bus.
Van Winkle declined to file a police report, although he did speak briefly with an officer, Gleason said. No charges were filed.
Gleason said the department plans a meeting with owners of the theater to discuss whether live music events should be held there in the future.
"The community doesn't mind the movies but resents the concerts, so that's kind of the subplot to all this," Gleason said.