Even before the Saints of Anger could turn up on stage, angry fans went on a rampage. US heavy-metal band Metallica’s show “is postponed due to technical glitches”. A statement issued by the organisers, DNA, said Metallica will perform
on Saturday, however, sources said the Gurgaon leg of the band’s performance stands cancelled. The band will perform in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Sources said the reason for cancellation was lack of security. The gates to the venue were to open at 3 pm. They weren’t open till 4.30 pm. The crowd grew bigger and started abusing right outside the entry gates 1, 2, 3, and 4. Probably due to crowd pressure, the gates were finally thrown open without proper barricading inside the venue. The organisers thought that they would be able to control a crowd that came to headbang to the tunes of one of the biggest metal acts.
The organisers kept asking the crowd to step back so that the security barricading could be completed. The crowd had been waiting in the simmering heat for almost 4 hours.
The event was poorly managed in terms of security and planning. People were allowed entry without proper checking and some used their “unused” tickets to help their friends enter the venue.
As time progressed, the organisers cancelled performance by the opening bands and Metallica was slated to open the show. Finally, after haggling with the crowd for almost 2 hours, the organisers announced that the show is “postponed”. This announcement acted as the coup de grace to their already seething agony. Around 100 people climbed up on stage and ripped apart on-stage equipment, including the drum kit on which Lars Ulrich was to play. Parts of the drum-kit were used to smash other equipment on stage, including guitars, amplifiers, microphones and monitors.
A DNA organiser was showered with bottles of water when he climbed on stage to announce the postponement. The announcement fuelled the ire.
Security was nowhere to be scene when mayhem ensued. Sources said organisers and Haryana police refused to tackle the crowd at that moment.
Sound engineer Mickey believes that the show is cancelled and can’t happen on Saturday. “This is the most powerful sound set up in the history of live performance in Delhi in terms of amplification and the quality of sound equipment. But there was no proper security arrangement to match the profile of the band or the sound. In this scenario, I feel the band would not like to perform.”
It is unclear if people will get reimbursement against the cancellation as there is no statement in this regard from either the organiser DNA or the online ticket-seller Ticketgenie. The onus is on the event organiser, DNA, and Metallica to deliver as “nothing else matters” to the fans.
According to PTI report, deputy commissioner of police, Gurgaon, P.C. Meena said, “We had taken a bank guarantee of `1 crore from the organisers to grant permission for the concert.” He said that they may blacklist the organisers, barring them from organising such events in Gurgaon further.