Eagles of Death Metal’s manager has denied the rockers were kicked out of Sting’s memorial gig at the Bataclan.
An official at the concert hall in Paris claimed he had removed two members of the U.S. band on Saturday (12Nov16), following controversial comments made by frontman Jesse Hughes earlier this year about the terrorist attacks.
The band was playing at the Bataclan as armed jihadists from the so-called Islamic State stormed the venue on 13 November, 2015, killing 90 people. The attack was part of a co-ordinated assault on the French capital, with 130 people killed and hundreds injured.
According to AFP, Bataclan co-director Jules Frutos threw frontman Hughes out, along with one other band member, as they tried to gain entry to Sting’s memorial concert on Saturday.
“They came, I threw them out – there are things you can’t forgive,” Frutos said.
However, the band’s manager Marc Pollack denied Hughes tried to get into the Bataclan.
“This day is not about Jesse Hughes or Eagles of Death Metal. In fact, Jesse is in Paris to share in remembering the tragic events of a year ago with his friends, family and fans,” Pollack told Billboard.
“This is about recalling the tragic loss of life that happened right in front of his eyes during his show, and this coward Jules Frutos feels the need to soil his own club’s reopening by spreading false tales to the press, and tainting a wonderful opportunity that could’ve been used to spread peace and love, to further spread mean spirited words of hate. Jesse never even tried entering the club for Sting’s show tonight.”
Hughes has been invited by the city of Paris to attend a memorial service outside the music venue on Sunday to mark the one-year anniversary of the attack. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the frontman stopped by the Bataclan on Saturday night with a friend and security guard to talk to fans outside the venue, but did not try to gain entry.
The rocker was criticised after he claimed in March the attack was an inside job, alleging several members of security staff did not show up for their shifts. He then said in May that Muslim members of staff at the music venue were involved.
Hughes apologised for the remarks, saying he was still suffering from trauma.
