Eagles Of Death Metal Issue Statement On Paris Attacks

Many live music fans go to concerts to get away from the “real world” and our day-to- day responsibilities. We follow our favorite bands because of the joy and transcendent moments that not only comes from the music but from the community that forms by gathering with like-minded fans. On Friday night over 80 music fans who attended an Eagles Of Death Metal concert at the 1,500-capacity Bataclan in Paris were tragically and senselessly gunned down by terrorists in an incident that will forever change the live music landscape. While Eagles Of Death Metal isn’t an act we generally cover for JamBase, we know many of those who attended the show on Friday went for the same reasons we go to concerts, that those who were killed were just looking to experience the joy that live music has brought us on so many occasions in our lives.

Eagles Of Death Metal have just issued statement about Friday’s tragic events:

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.

As the band said, “love overshadows evil.” The irony wasn’t lost on us that Friday was “World Kindness Day.” As defined by organizers of the now 17-year-old holiday, “World Kindness Day is to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us. Kindness is a fundamental part of the human condition which bridges the divides of race religion, politics, gender and zip codes.”

Whether it was Parisians opening their homes to strangers, the internet rallying to double the goal of a GoFundMe page set up to benefit the family of Nick Alexander or local taxi drivers ferrying those in Paris home for free, we did see plenty of acts of kindness following the tragic events.

It’s impossible to be fully prepared for the kind of incident that took place on Friday night, yet we must learn to be vigilant when it comes to security measures. When you enter a concert and have found your seat or spot, look around to get a feel for the closest exit should disaster strike. In the days following Friday’s events, many concert promoters have announced new security measures. Remember that with few exceptions, venue security is in place to protect us and to be patient with them.