The day Sinéad O’Connor faced down the boos with Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson encouraging Sinéad O'Connor to stand her ground amid the booing at the Bob Dylan anniversary concert at New York's Madison Square Garden on October 17, 1992. Photo: AP
Sinéad O’Connor faced many adversities in her life, but never a chorus of boos.
Just days after she caused global outrage in October 1992 when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on , she was booked to play at Bob Dylan’s 30th anniversary concert in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
It was Sinéad O’Connor's first live event since she shocked the world live on prime-time TV with her stance against clerical child abuse. Folk legend Kris Kristofferson introduced her to the audience.
“I’m real proud to introduce this next artist whose name’s become synonymous with courage and integrity,” he said. “Ladies and gentlemen, Sinéad O’Connor.”
The place erupted in a chorus of boos as she walked on stage. She stood at the mic, head somewhat bowed, with a slight smile, as the jeers rained down.
“Thank you,” she said in her small voice, but the boos just got louder.
The band eventually played the opening chords of Dylan’s 1979 classic, I Believe in You, but they were soon drowned out.
Sinéad just stood there, alone, in the centre of the stage.
After another minute or so, Kristofferson walked back on and stood by Sinéad as if to shield her from the abuse. He whispered words of encouragement in her ear.
The band tried again, but Sinéad signalled for them to stop. Unaccompanied, she then sang a portion of Bob Marley’s “War,” just as she had on , before running off the stage.
Kristofferson would later tell Miriam O’Callaghan what he said to Sinéad when he walked on stage.
“The promoters told me to go out and get her off the stage, but I wasn’t going to do that.
“It was very courageous," Kristofferson said.
"It seemed to me very wrong, booing that little girl. But she was always courageous.”
- This article was originally published on July 27, 2023. It is being republished following the death of Kris Kristofferson.
