Swedish ‘Daredevil’ Artist Plummets to His Death Before Fans in Germany
- Posted on September 7, 2011 at 6:41am by
Tiffany Gabbay
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A Swedish saxophone performer whose unusual routine featured him suspended from the facade of a high-rise building while playing his instrument, ended in tragedy when his harness broke and he plummeted to his death before dozens of cheering fans in Germany.
The doctor dispatched to the scene pronounced that 49-year-old Finn Martin had died on impact.
Police are reportedly investigating why the safety harness failed and whether crew members responsible for engineering the act had been under the influence of alcohol.
The English-language Swedish news site The Local reports:
“He was a world-class artist, one of the top-ten saxophone players in the world, but almost unknown in Sweden,” Martin’s cousin Peter Martin, told the Aftonbladet newspaper.
Finn Martin had carried out similar dare-devil performances, which he called ‘Vertigo’, many times in recent years.
In 2005 he played on the façade of a tower in Cologne that was nearly 150 metres tall.
On his website, Martin referred to Vertigo as “an unusually emotional music aerial performance”.
According to his cousin, Martin’s performances were used to help fund musical projects in West Africa.
“Finn had a passion for African music,” Peter Martin told the news site Aftonbladet.
“His art was his life and he was an artist and musician from every pore of his body.”
Below you can watch one of Martin’s performances:
Below is Martin‘s ’Vertigo’ performance:
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Comments (95)
robinakilt
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 10:22amI guess his performance just went flat……..what to soon?
Report Post »HD Veteran
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 11:21amNope, funny as hell.
Report Post »Banned on the Blaze
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 11:58amits a bird, its a plain, its………. splat!
Report Post »johnj1952
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 12:10pmDid he end on a low note or the high note of a girl screaming?
Report Post »rockstone
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 3:25pmThink we can get Kenny G to replace him?
Report Post »Lotus503
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:09pmTalk about a grand finale!
Report Post »FutureSoldier
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:45pmYeah, his last AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA was definitely flat.
Report Post »thecrow2123
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 11:14pmheh. his act bombed
Report Post »scion88
Posted on September 8, 2011 at 3:57amThe first few rows of fans thought they were at a Gallagher concert. Ironically, he was in the middle of one of his favorite country tunes…“I Fall To Pieces”.
Report Post »eternalwolf777
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:36amI see a lot of snide comments and very little compassion for the family. He was a performer that took risks: true. But that doesn’t mean he deserves death. Neither do race car drivers, stunt performers or people involved in dangerous lines of work… My sincere condolences to the family.
Report Post »smokeysmoke
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:47amcorrect… part of being an entertainer is being spontainous and unusual… it was an accident that took his life and people should pay respect and move on
Report Post »Curtman41
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:48amI feel sorry for his family and friends too. this idiot probably put them through a lot of pain and anguish over the years taking foolish risks. I’m sure he was warned countless times by his family to stop his reckless behavior. He was nothing more than a side show desperately looking for attention and an adrenaline rush. Well buddy, hope you enjoyed your 2 minutes of fame..
Report Post »IraHayesFlagRaiser
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 12:52pmAnyone who is killed taking a risk deserves what they get …. either praise and glory or death. They get what they deserve.
Report Post »Hayabusa
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 2:08pm@Crutman and Flagraiser
I took a risk by joining the military to defend my nation and its Constitution. I guess I deserve death because of the risk I willingly take everyday as do firemen, policemen, lifeguards, people who work on our roads, or soccer moms taking their kids to soccer practice who may get hit by a drunk driver.
There was that guy who choked to death on his midflight meal a day or two ago. Obviously eating is a risk as well. Since you both are still living, it‘s obvious you’re still eating and thus taking risks. I wouldn’t be surprised if you also drive, fly, handle sharp objects, or walk flights of stairs either. Guess that makes you idiots who deserve to die as well.
Report Post »boxy
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 2:56pmNo reason to chastise the people that make those remarks either. At least he died doing what he loved.
Report Post »rockstone
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 3:24pmHe was an idiot. End of story.
Report Post »Curtman41
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:35amYaaaaaa…you may NOT want people who have been drinking responsible for securing your harness before you dangle from a high rise building.
Report Post »DanWesson455
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:31amAlways one upping the gimmick on the next guy. Wonder what the next one will do to meet DOOM?
Report Post »Up up and away in my beautiful balloon.
Mandors
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:03amWow, what do you do for an encore?
Report Post »junkmaninohio
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:28amWell, you can’t fix stupid I guess.
Report Post »robert
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:30am“He used proceeds from his performances to fund musical projects in West Africa.”
Another brainwashed diversity dog bites the dust. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:44amIf you keep tempting fate, it usually doesn’t end well. Of course employing drunk guys to engineer the act doesn’t increase your chances either.
Report Post »CountFunkula
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:49amI‘m actually surprised his MC Hammer pants didn’t turn into parachutes like in a cartoon. Him landing slowly and safely all while playing Katy Perry’s “Dynamite.”
Report Post »HTuttle
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:41amDid he play anything besides nursery rhymes?
Report Post »JLGunner
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:35amMaybe Taps on his way down???
Report Post »One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:23amRest in peace idiot. Saxophones are meant to be played on the ground for a reason. This would be one of them I guess.
Report Post »meeester
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:22am….and puffy pants!
Report Post »meeester
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:21amPuffy Shirts . . .they‘ll get ya’.
Report Post »shavingscream
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:13amYou know the difference between a saxophone and a lawn mower?
You can tune a lawn mower.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:54amMy choice for best comment!!!
Report Post »swampbuck
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:09amAnd yet I still do not care……. a least his stupidazz died doing what he loved LMAO
Report Post »felix
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:06amdied on impact – cause its not the fall,its the sudden STOP !!!!!
Report Post »swampbuck
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:10amLmao
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:00amI can think of a different saxophonist I’d prefer to have gone splat.
Report Post »DEITY
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:59amOuch !!!
Report Post »Charlie Justice
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:56amI should hope someone suspect foul play
Report Post »Ookspay
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 9:25amYep while he‘s blowin’ his sax, who‘s his wife blowin’?
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:55amI always found I could play just as well standing on a good solid stage close to the ground. Of course it might be different with a saxophone. I’ve never played one.
Report Post »Comeandtakeit
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:46amIf he was really “one of the top-ten saxophone players in the world” would he need this gimmick to sell product?
Report Post »LeftyLieDetector
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:42amOne less socialist. Stupid is as stupid does!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:06amHey, y’all, watch this…..
Report Post »RugDog
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:26amIf it wasn’t dangerous, it wouldn’t be interesting. If it wasn’t deadly, it wouldn’t be dangerous. He knew the risk, he took them, this was a possibility. No sympathy here.
Except for his family.
Report Post »MARCH4HIM
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:09amSo this is what the music industry has come to..
Report Post »80mesh
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:09amyakkety sax no more
Report Post »Kiwon
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 6:57amI guess you could say that he ended his performance on a bad note.
Report Post »beckinista
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:21amA man is dead … and all you can come up with are bad one-liners? pathetic.
Report Post »Vechorik
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 7:44amLaugh to keep from crying
Report Post »blindpig
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 8:03amI thought it was a “GOOD” one-liner.
Report Post »Dolfenn24
Posted on September 8, 2011 at 2:56pmYou people sound like a bunch of immature teenagers.This man was a member of someone’s family….a brother,son,uncle,maybe even a father or husband.It sickens me to see the disgusting comments by some of you people.Is this what society has come to?I appreciate humor as much as the next guy,but come on this guy lost his life.My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
Report Post »N37BU6
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 6:51amDead… all because of a cheap, tacky gimmick.
Report Post »rockstone
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 3:41pmIf he could play well enough he wouldn’t have needed the stunt. I don‘t recall Coltrane or Bird doing anything like this to generate ’buzz’.
Report Post »THX-1138
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 4:47pmNope, no stunts, just heroin…
Report Post »mavsfan75
Posted on September 7, 2011 at 6:50amHitting those HIGH notes can be deadly!
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