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A tiny bat upended a European rock run and became the kind of backstage legend bands trade for years. Taylor Momsen says the incident left her with a literal bite mark, a handful of rabies shots, and a new nickname from one of rock’s oldest acts.
What really happened onstage in Spain and why Momsen needed rabies shots
Momsen told Metal Hammer in January 2026 that the encounter occurred during a 2024 show in Spain. A bat swooped down, landed on her, and bit her before she realized it.
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She required rabies vaccinations afterward. The medical scare quickly shifted into tour lore, as crew and fellow performers turned the moment into something playful.
AC/DC’s prank-filled response and the origin of “Batgirl”
The veteran rockers didn’t treat the bite as an awkward mishap. Instead, they leaned into humor and camaraderie.
How AC/DC poked fun while showing support
- Small bat-themed tokens appeared in Momsen’s dressing room daily.
- Stage amps were decorated with signs warning “No bat.”
- The band staged a bat-themed birthday celebration, complete with a large homemade cake.
- Momsen received playful accessories, including bat-shaped horns used like a tiara.
The nickname stuck. According to Momsen, AC/DC started calling her “Batgirl.” The label became part of the tour’s running jokes.
Tour plans: The Pretty Reckless and AC/DC’s 2026 North and South America dates
After touring Europe together in 2024 and again in 2025, the two acts planned a multi-region 2026 run. The American leg begins in Brazil in February and spans South, Central, and North America.
- 02-24-2026 — São Paulo, Brazil — Estádio do Morumbi
- 03-11-2026 — Santiago, Chile — Parque Estadio Nacional
- 03-23-2026 — Buenos Aires, Argentina — Estadio River Plate
- 04-07-2026 — Mexico City, Mexico — Estadio GNP Seguros
- 07-11-2026 — Charlotte, NC, USA — Bank of America Stadium
- 07-15-2026 — Columbus, OH, USA — Ohio Stadium
- 07-19-2026 — Madison, WI, USA — Camp Randall Stadium
- 07-24-2026 — San Antonio, TX, USA — Alamodome
- 07-28-2026 — Denver, CO, USA — Empower Field at Mile High
- 08-01-2026 — Las Vegas, NV, USA — Allegiant Stadium
- 08-05-2026 — San Francisco, CA, USA — Levi’s Stadium
- 08-09-2026 — Edmonton, Alberta, Canada — Commonwealth Stadium
- 08-13-2026 — Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada — BC Place
- 08-27-2026 — Atlanta, GA, USA — Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- 08-31-2026 — Houston, TX, USA — NRG Stadium
- 09-04-2026 — South Bend, IN, USA — Notre Dame Stadium
- 09-08-2026 — St. Louis, MO, USA — The Dome at America’s Center
- 09-12-2026 — Montréal, Québec, Canada — Parc Jean-Drapeau
- 09-16-2026 — Toronto, Ontario, Canada — Rogers Stadium
- 09-25-2026 — East Rutherford, NJ, USA — MetLife Stadium
- 09-29-2026 — Philadelphia, PA, USA — Lincoln Financial Field
What the story says about touring life and rock folklore
Touring turns the odd and the risky into tales bands swap between cities. A minor medical scare became a source of bonding and humor on a stadium tour.
The episode shows how quickly a strange event becomes part of a tour’s identity. Moments like this feed the mythology that surrounds long-running acts and the artists who open for them.
