( CNN ) -- Pooping pigeons forced the Kings of Leon to abandon their St. Louis , Missouri , concert after just three songs Friday night , the rock band 's management said Saturday . An infestation of the birds in the rafters of the Verizon Amphitheatre bombarded the musicians as soon as they took the stage , according to Andy Mendelsohn of Vector Management . `` Jared ( Followill ) was hit several times during the first two songs , '' Mendelsohn said of the band 's bassist . `` It 's not only disgusting -- it 's a toxic health hazard . They really tried to hang in there , '' Mendelsohn added . Followill , who describes himself as a `` germophobe , '' said there was already poop on his pedal and carpet when he walked out on stage . The aerial attack began during the opening song -- `` Closer '' -- when he was bombed in the face . His bass tech wiped most of it off with a sanitary wipe , he said . Excrement struck each of his arms over the next two numbers , he said . `` I was hit by pigeons on each of the first three songs , '' he said . `` We had 20 songs on the set list . By the end of the show , I would have been covered from head to toe . '' Followill said he could n't see the pigeons above him and he had no idea how many there were . `` The last thing I was going to do was look up ... but if that was only a couple , we must have caught them right after a big Thanksgiving dinner , '' he quipped . The group was determined to play for St. Louis fans even though they had fair warning earlier about the pigeon problem . Opening bands The Postelles and The Stills came offstage complaining of getting riddled with large amounts of excrement , their publicist said . `` The Kings of Leon decided to carry on regardless , '' they said in a statement released Saturday . `` The band felt it would be unfair to the fans to cancel the show at that late moment . '' `` We could n't believe what The Postelles and The Stills looked like after their sets , '' Followill said . `` We did n't want to cancel the show , so we went for it . We tried to play . It was ridiculous . '' Followill 's mother called him when she heard from friends at the show that it had been abruptly ended . `` I was attacked , Mom , but not by humans , '' Followill said he told her . Venue managers told the band 's representatives earlier Friday about `` a significant pigeon infestation problem with summer shows over the years , but they were doing all they could to fix it , '' the statement said . `` We want to apologize to our fans in St. Louis and will come back as soon as we can , '' Mendelsohn said . Concertgoers were apparently spared the aerial bombardment . `` No fans got pooped on as far as we know , '' the band 's publicist said . Verizon Amphitheatre and concert promoter Live Nation did not immediately respond to CNN requests for comment . The band is set to perform at First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Chicago , Illinois , on Saturday night . CNN 's Denise Quan contributed to this report .
NEW : Excrement did not hit the fans . The band decided to take the stage despite bombardment on openers . The show ended when excrement landed on the bassist 's cheek . Comment: