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BREAKING Developing Story: Terrorist Attacks On Paris Lead To Hostage Situation At Eagles Of Death Metal Concert

November 13th, 2015 - 4:59 PM

BREAKING Developing Story: Terrorist Attacks On Paris Lead To Hostage Situation At Eagles Of Death Metal Concert

Hostages have been taken in Paris’s Bataclan concert hall, as part of one of multiple terrorist attacks on the French city that have unfolded on Friday. Noisey reports that sources have said there is anywhere from 60 to 100 hostages being held at the venue.

Below is a photo from CNN correspondent Jim Sciutto’s Twitter:

Local police have reported at least 15 people dead at the Eagles of Death Metal concert that was being held at Bataclan, with the overall death toll now reaching more than 45 people split between Bataclan, the soccer stadium Stade de France and a third location that was under attack. Eagles of Death Metal and Red Lemons were the two bands playing the venue Friday night, and both have been reported safe and away from the venue now, according to multiple sources. Red Lemons even updated their Facebook page about the attacks. According to Noisey, journalists who are at the scene have reported that 10 to 30 hostages have been released, but the situation is ongoing. Others who are on the scene are updating social media about the attacks, saying there are numerous weapons and they heard gunshots, as well as reports of an explosion and blood everywhere. Here is a video someone took from outside the Bataclan: UPDATE 1: Eagles of Death Metal posted to their Facebook page that they are still “trying to determine the safety and whereabouts” of all the band and crew. UPDATE 2: According to reports from Parisian news sources, the attack on the Bataclan venue is now over, with two terrorists dead. People are being evacuated from the venue and there are multiple ambulances at the site. Below is a photo French journalist Pierre Monegier posted to Twitter from the scene:

UPDATE 3 (4:28 PM PST): Police are telling media that about 100 people are confirmed dead in the attack on the Bataclan.

UPDATE 4 (4:49 PM PST): Sputnik News and other sources are confirming that France has declared a state of emergency and closed its borders. About 1,500 French troops have been deployed to Paris and President Hollande is headed to Bataclan concert hall. UPDATE 5 (4:54 PM PST): Puscifer has verified on Twitter that Eagles of Death Metal bassist Matt McJunkins is safe (see tweet below). Brooklyn Vegan shared a tweet from a CNN correspondent reporting that at least 118 people at Bataclan are dead, according to the deputy mayor.

UPDATE 5 (5:38 PM PST): Maynard James Keenan has further elaborated on Twitter that Eagles of Death Metal bassist Matt McJunkins was a hostage, and as previously reported is safe.

UPDATE 6 (5:58 PM PST):  Atlanta’s Channel 2 Action News spoke with Michael Dorio, brother of Eagles of Death Metal drummer Julian Dorio, who said the attack happened while the band was performing on stage:

He said they were playing, about six songs into the show, they heard, before they saw anything, they heard automatic machine gunfire. It was so loud, it was louder than the band, and they hit the stage floor. As they got up to try to evacuate they saw men with machine guns just shooting anything and everything in the venue.

UPDATE 7 (6:45 PM PST): CNN now reports that there are four attackers dead from the Bataclan, three of whom were wearing explosive belts. The death toll of the Paris attacks has now risen to at least 153.

UPDATE 8 (7:20 PM PST): HBO has announced that the U2 concert scheduled to air Saturday night from Paris has been postponed due to the terrorist attacks on the city. Instead, HBO will be playing the film Jersey Boys. The following statement has been posted on U2’s website:

As a result of the ongoing state of emergency across France, the U2 Paris concert scheduled for 14th November will not be going ahead as planned. U2 and Live Nation, along with HBO who were due to live broadcast the Saturday concert, are fully resolved to go ahead with this show at an appropriate time.

Speaking from Paris, the band said, “We watched in disbelief and shock at the unfolding events in Paris and our hearts go out to all the victims and their families across the city tonight. We are devastated at the loss of life at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and our thoughts and prayers are with the band and their fans. And we hope and pray that all of our fans in Paris are safe.”

UPDATE 9 (7:37 PM PST): Pitchfork via Twitter confirms all members of Eagles of Death Metal are safe. No official word on the status of the crew at this time.

UPDATE 10 (8:49 AM PST): AFP reports that Eagles of Death Metal have cancelled their remaining European tour dates and will head back to the United States. The tour was scheduled to run through December 10. Additionally, the Deftones will cancel the three nights of shows that were scheduled for this weekend at the Bataclan concert hall. According to the Guardian, officials place the current death toll from the theater at 87. The Foo Fighters have issued a statement cancelling their remaining tour dates:

It is with profound sadness and heartfelt concern for everyone in Paris that we have been forced to announce the cancellation of the rest of our tour. In light of this senseless violence, the closing of borders, and international mourning, we can’t continue right now. There is no other way to say it. This is crazy and it sucks. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was hurt or who lost a loved one.

UPDATE 11 (11:30 AM PST): As Loudwire reports, eyewitness accounts have been coming in from the situation last night in Paris. Julien Pearce, a radio reporter, was there and said, “We heard so many gunshots. The terrorists were very calm, very conservative, and they reloaded three or four times with their weapons and they didn’t shout anything, they didn’t say anything.” In addition, it has been confirmed that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The death toll has been confirmed at 129 people at this time. UPDATE 12 (2:35 PM PST): Yahoo Music has confirmed via Twitter that the merch manager for Eagles of Death Metal, Nick Alexander, was killed at the Bataclan. Alexander’s girlfriend posted the below tweet:

UPDATE 12 (Nov 16): It has been announced that there were 89 casualties resulting from the attack at the Bataclan and all of the victims have now been identified. The venue released a statement Monday that begins with “no words sufficient to express the magnitude of our grief,” according to NME, where you can read the whole statement.

The Deftones have reportedly cancelled all of their remaining tour dates in Europe following the tragedy. Members of the group were at the Bataclan that night and left shortly before the attack.

Also following the events in Paris, Spin reports that Live Nation has announced that they will begin to increase concert security at the venues they own, in an attempt to prevent another tragedy of this scale. Others in the industry are expected to do the same.

UPDATE 13 (2:15 PM PST): Titus Andronicus has cancelled their Paris show, releasing a statement on their website:

It is not a decision we have arrived at flippantly but, after much soul-searching and hand-wringing, we see no other recourse.

The terrorist attacks of last week have shaken us deeply, surely placing us in the majority of musicians around the globe. Music and art should offer a safe haven from the world’s many worries and woes, wherein Artist and Audience alike can find empowerment in their vulnerability. The brutal assault on this sacred space offers no clear path forward and, without precedent to guide us, we must err on the side of caution, for the sake of our fans, our touring staff, and the venue staff, in addition to ourselves.

Meanwhile, Wavves announced via Twitter they will still perform in Paris this Sunday:

Rapper Heems announced he too would perform in Paris, as well as publishing an op-ed on Vice explaining his decision to continue to perform:

Yesterday, I got an email in a familiar tone, urging me not to go to Paris. I get it. But I believe in the power of music. In a terrible world, I think music is a tool no different from religion to get through difficult times. Perhaps this time I took the attack more personally.

So tonight I rap in Paris because I believe in hopefulness and the light of peace. If I could do anything with my art, it would only be to say, “We’re just like you.”

UPDATE 14 (Nov 19): The Eagles of Death Metal have released a statement regarding the incident in Paris on November 13 and the lives lost there. The statement also mentions the band’s plans for the near future, in addition to expressing solidarity with France. Read the full statement below.

While the band is now home safe, we are horrified and still trying to come to terms with what happened in France. Our thoughts and hearts are first and foremost with our brother Nick Alexander, our record company comrades Thomas Ayad, Marie Mosser, and Manu Perez, and all the friends and fans whose lives were taken in Paris, as well as their friends, families, and loved ones.

Although bonded in grief with the victims, the fans, the families, the citizens of Paris, and all those affected by terrorism, we are proud to stand together, with our new family, now united by a common goal of love and compassion.

We would like to thank the French police, the FBI, the U.S. and French State Departments, and especially all those at ground zero with us who helped each other as best they could during this unimaginable ordeal, proving once again that love overshadows evil.

All EODM shows are on hold until further notice.

Vive la musique, vive la liberté, vive la France, and vive EODM.

UPDATE 15: Eagles of Death Metal asked, via email, bands of all genres to cover their song “I Love You All The Time” from their Zipper Down album. Pitchfork reports that the band is donating all of the song’s publishing income to the Sweet Stuff Foundation, a charity that is helping victims of the Paris attacks. EoDM also asks artists who cover the song, as well as streaming services and retailers, to donate their proceeds to the foundation.

We will continue to update you on the situation as more of the story unfolds.

UPDATE 16 (Dec 4, 4:35 PM PST): According to Billboard, Eagles of Death Metal plan to make an appearance at the end of U2’s upcoming concert at AccorHotels Arena this weekend on December 6. Additionally, Josh Homme will be present for this guest appearance – he typically does not tour with the group and was not present during the November 13 attack.

EODM have promised to be the first band to play the Bataclan when it is able to reopen, and will resume their halted European tour in 2016.

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