Bloodless

By all appearances, local jazz singer David Patrone was beheaded on Sunday night, June 28, in Alpine. The incident occurred onstage in the Dreamcatcher Lounge at Viejas Casino at approximately 10:15 p.m., toward the end of the final night of the 11-week-long Ultimate Music Challenge competition.

During the fourth and final band performance of the evening, local classic metal tribute band Monsters of Rock was performing their last song, “The Trooper” by Iron Maiden, when Maiden’s mascot “Eddie” appeared onstage wearing military fatigues.

Soon, a man fitting the description of Patrone (who was serving as one of the contest judges) was pulled onstage. “Eddie” and a hooded executioner struggled to bring the black-suited and fedora-wearing Patrone behind a guillotine and placed his neck down into it. As the song ended, the blade dropped.

After the song, the incident was revealed to be a ruse. David Patrone, who had been sitting at the three-seat judges’ table the entire time, appeared onstage with his double, an identically dressed actor complete with bald head covered by a black fedora.

Despite their complicity in the “beheading” of one of the judges, Monsters of Rock came in second place, taking home an $8000 prize.