Metallica shared some sad news with the world early this morning. During the November 13th attacks on Paris, Metallica project manager and friend of the band, Thomas Ayad, lost his life at Le Bataclan.
In total, 89 people were killed at Le Bataclan during an attack claimed to be perpetrated by the terrorist organization ISIS. Others were killed in several other locations throughout Paris, but the highest body count occurred during the Eagles of Death Metal gig at Le Bataclan. Among those lost was EODM merch manager Nick Alexander, while the Eagles of Death Metal members were able to escape shortly after gunfire began. Members of Deftones were also at Le Bataclan that night, but left the venue minutes before the massacre.
Metallica shared the loss of their project manager and good friend via Facebook:
“We had great fortune to work with Thomas Ayad at Universal Music France for the past eight years and while Thomas had the official title of being our “project manager,” we knew him as a member of our Metallica family, a fan, a friend . . . and a warm, helpful, supportive familiar face each time we visited France. Friday we lost Thomas, at the Bataclan theatre, in a way that none of us can begin to comprehend. Our thoughts are with Thomas’ friends, family, co-workers and all Parisians during these very difficult times.” (above photo taken from November 9, 2011 at Taratata TV show)
additional source: loudwire.com
5 Responses
My son and I were at the Ghost concert on Oct. 21, and what strikes me is how similar Portland’s Roseland Theater is to the theater in France. Both venues have a balcony and a general admission floor. The Ghost concert was at capacity, as was the EODM concert in Paris. Now the question becomes, will something like this happen in America? One big difference: at Roseland, everyone was body searched at the door; I’ve heard that anyone with a ticket could get in to Bataclan, and that nobody was searched.
With this terror and the awful fire in the Romanian club a few weeks ago, I would support full body searches for people entering any venue, and, I think it’s time to ban pyrotechnics of any kind in smaller venues.
From the accounts I read, those measures would have done nothing to prevent or minimize the events in Paris. If anything, depending on your bent regarding personal protection, had one or more of the audience members be armed may have lessened the impact. I can’t speak to the fire in Romania, but more often than not those types of events are due to human mismanagement, not the presence or absence of any specific special effect.
I don’t mean to be inappropriate here, but in the wake of events like this, the LAST thing we need are ill-thought out, knee jerk reactions that don’t do anything to eliminate or mitigate the problem. We’re still (here in the States) having to throw away any toiletry over 3.1 ounces, even though we KNOW – for a FACT – that terrorists have the capability of creating explosives using less than 3.1 ounces of material.
Agree with you about an armed populace making us safer generally, but with some of the inbreiated conflicts I’ve seen over 40 years of rock shows, not sure I want a lot of audience members armed. With Great White and Romania, I still think incindiary pyro is a bad idea in small venues. Ghost did it all with stage fog and lazers.
Didn’t know where to post this,so I just picked this one.found out out on facebook David VanLanding passed away in a car accident this morning.he was the singer for the Michael Schenker Group in the mid 90s .saw them at the Vic Theatre in Chicago,and it was one of the greatest concerts I was ever at.R.I.P. brother.
Something needs to change at venues. I don’t think a full body search is going to stop an insane individual from walking up to the front entrance of a venue with an assault rifle or explosive strapped to their body and either gunning their way in or exploding themselves once they are in the building. People shouldn’t be allowed to hang around in front of venues or in lobby areas of venues. You either have a ticket to get in for the show or you can’t come in to a venue if you don’t have a ticket. Once in the venue, then you can go through a metal detector and proceed to your seat. People are sitting ducks in venues with their back to the stage while anyone can walk in off the street and do violence as they please. It’s time for change, no doubt.