France

Eagles of Death Metal: A Concerto as “therapy”

It is a return, the more difficult is hardly conceivable. The US rock band Eagles of Death Metal came back in Paris, three months after the Terrorüberfall at the Bataclan.

Visibly moved appeared the musicians on the stage of the Olympia, cheered by an audience, including Survivors and Opferangehörige included. This was the song “Paris s’éveille” (“Paris wakes up”) of singer-songwriter Jacques Dutronc recorded – a tribute to the French capital.

Frontman Jesse Hughes had been of his fear, said: “I hope I can be on the stage run and be stronger than now. I won’t all collapse.” Then, as he the evening in front of the audience stand, said he first no word.

Their first Song “I Only Want You” stopped the Band after a few bars for a minute of silence. “We take the Moment to commemorate,” said drummer Joss Homme.

For the appearance were considered the highest safety standards. The sidewalk in front of the “Olympia” was completely cordoned off, police and private security guards controlled the visitors several times, including with metal detectors. For Survivors and relatives of the victims had a psychological Advisor.

“I may be Evil not to conquer,” was a Bandleader Hughes in the transmitter iTélé said. “I must go back to be with my friends. We need to stop this.” The gig on Tuesday evening was to be a “therapy”. “It is not supposed to be easy. It is supposed to be hard,” said Hughes in a highly emotional Interview with the news Agency AFP, in which he again and again broke into tears. “This is for me a therapy. I am selfish.”

“I understand what the people feel, may not come,” said Hughes with a view to those, the gig at the Olympia to stay away wanted. “But I know in my heart: The Right means to do, the Hardest thing to do.” It was, therefore, a “psychological, emotional cancer, the whole world has infected” to cut out.

Hughes also told us of the fateful evening of 13. November. “As I to my life-‘m running, there was a guy next to me who had difficulties to walk.” The man had heavily bled. “He has deeply inhaled and told: ‘Your last concert was a lot better’,” said the singer with a throaty Laugh. “That was so incredibly brave, a joke to make.”

The Band wanted the concert from 13. November “to play to the end”, and had the Survivors of the Bataclan invited. The musicians were in the traditional lecture hall, Olympia, because of the club Bataclan, in which three heavily armed Islamists during the Eagles-of-Death-Metal-concert 90 people had been killed, until the end of the year is closed. If the Bataclan then is being renovated and will be reopened, will Hughes with the Eagles to be the first there on the stage: “I love this Club.”

This Wednesday, the Band played in the Munich Tonhalle.

rb/jj (afp, ap, dpa)