29/10/2011
NEWS STORY
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Fans reacted badly to news that Metallica's first concert in India was cancelled. Headlining the F1 Rocks concert over the Grand Prix weekend, the American band pulled out of its first gig in the country citing "serious technical difficulties."
Reports from fans attending the concert claimed the venue was dangerously unsafe, with barricades on the floor and security seemingly nowhere in sight. "I've never been to such an unsafe event, all the barricades were on the floor, with sharp ends pointing out. We got involved in a stampede to enter the venue with no sign of security at all, i saw at least 10-15 people around me get hurt due to the same," said one fan.
"We managed to get in by 15:30, and there were 2 food stalls for 20,000 people with no water! They were shoving buckets of water asking people to take some in their glasses," the fan added.
At 18:30, three hours after the gates opened, the concert was officially cancelled. "The crowd, at this moment lost control and got on stage, vandalised the monitors, smashed led screens and dismantled drum kits and flung them into the crowd," said another fan. "Moreover they even set the F1 rocks banners on fire. After this the sound console was subject to some serious damage."
The show was initially postponed until Saturday, F1 Rocks stating the delay due to 'technical difficulties'. However, on Saturday morning it was confirmed that Metallica had pulled the plug on the show.
"It is most regrettable that we were forced to take such measures," said the band in a statement. "We were very much looking forward to meeting our fans and sharing our music live for the first time in India."
F1 Rocks added that "every conceivable effort had been made for the concert to go ahead, but in view of public safety and in consultation with the event organiser DNA Entertainment Networks and representatives from Metallica the decision was made to cancel the show."
However, in a dramatic twist, the Times of India reports that four people, including a top official of DNA Networks, have been arrested on charges of cheating and breach of trust.
Apparently, the general manager of DNA Networks, along with three team members were arrested under section 406 (breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.