The guy asked a band member if he wanted to fight, but didn't wait for an answer; that proved a mistake on his part

After performing at the Paradise on April 18, members of Crown the Empire were walking out to their tour bus when some rando outside walked up to member Brent Taddie, asked "You wanna fight?" and then, before Taddie could answer, punched him in the right side of his head, Paradise officials and police told the Boston Licensing Board this morning.

Another band member immediately grabbed the guy to try to restrain him and they fell to the ground, where the band member got in a couple of punches of his own before the man stopped resisting and the band member got up, police and Paradise officials said at a hearing on the incident.

Police, called by the Paradise's manager, arrived to find the man with blood pouring out of a fresh cut over his left eye - which was swollen shut. He told officers a rather different story - that somebody had struck him in the head with a bottle, but he didn't know who or why, a BPD detective told the board, adding a woman with the man refused to answer any questions. The detective said officers immediately grew suspicious because they found no bottle near the guy, and learned the real story by talking to other witnesses.

Paradise managers and their attorney had to appear before the board to answer a police citation of "assault and battery on band member."

Paradise attorney Dennis Quilty said there was nothing the club could have done to prevent the attack because the man was not a customer that night, he was just some guy outside and that, in any case, it was the club manager who called 911.

This is not the first time a performer has been attacked after leaving the Paradise. In 2002, Moby was beaten and Maced outside the club.

The licensing board decides Thursday whether the Paradise could have done anything to prevent the incident and, if so, whether it deserves any sanction.