Features
Paris Attacks: First Reactions
Pollstar reaches out to concert industry pros in France for their views on the current state of event security following Friday’s terrorist attack at Paris’ Le Bataclan, where Eagles Of Death Metal were performing.
Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP
Police officers patrol outside the Ancienne Belgique concert hall just before Slayer takes the stage, in Brussels, Belgium.
Guillaume Florin, Communications Manager of Paris venue Le Plan and head of promotion agency We Do Music, told Pollstar that access control at the entrances of venues in Paris are generally strict. “Each bag is looked inside, it’s impossible to even enter a bottle of water.” Le Plan canceled its concerts on the day after the attacks.
Audrey Guerre, coordinator at the French venues collective Live DMA, confirmed, that “most of the big music venues have bag and body searches at the entrance. The terrorists entered the [Bataclan] about 30 minutes after the concert began so I guess they entered by shooting security. The place was not infiltrated.”
Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP
A security guard searches a fan of U.S. trash metal band Slayer at the entrance of the Ancienne Belgique concert hall, in Brussels.
Guerre emphasized that Live DMA was going to release an official statement in the coming days, and that everything she told Pollstar only represented her own view only.
“Many Live DMA members sent messages to show their support with Le Bataclan and the French music sector, and a lot of music venues in Europe had a minute of silence at the beginning of the shows on Saturday evening.” According to Guerre, a lot of weekend concerts were canceled but some venues did open their doors to welcome the public and demonstrate their resilience.
Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP
Patroling outside the Ancienne Belgique concert hall just prior to Slayer’s performance, in Brussels.
Live DMA posted the following message on its Facebook page Monday morning:
“During this tragic week-end, many music venues all over Europe have shown their solidarity with Le Bataclan by observing a minute of silence at the beginning of their concerts.
“We would like to express all our emotion and sadness to the victim’s families and wounded persons.
“These attacks have targeted our friendly spaces. Let’s keep on playing the music and gathering people around.”