Death Cab's Gibbard stung by scorpion

Death Cab For Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard was bitten by a scorpion during a concert in San Diego.

Band members called the emergency services after the insect attacked Gibbard backstage during a costume change.

Medics later gave the 32-year-old the all-clear and he went on to play the show, bassist Nick Harmer revealed on his blog.

He wrote: "So tonight in San Diego, Ben got stung by a scorpion. Twice. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried, file this under 'things that really happen on rock tours'.

"Ben's okay, if not a little shaken, but we were worried for a while because the scorpion was a little guy and when it comes to the wonderful world of scorpions, the smaller the deadlier."

Harmer said they had all been "rattled" by the unexpected incident.

"I’m still not convinced that [Ben] is 100% fine because nobody eliminated the possibility that it was a radioactive scorpion and that Ben will now develop super powers, so I'm keeping a close eye on him just in case," he went on to joke.