Update: Metallica Concert Organizers Arrested in India after Riot

[JamesG]

Metallica India Concert Cancellation Leads To Chaos as Fans Trash Stage (Video)
10/28/2011
by Nyay Bhushan


In what was billed as the big ticket music event of the year, Metallica's first performance in India -- scheduled for Friday in Gurgaon near Delhi as part of F1 Rocks, the country's inaugural Formula One race -- was cancelled by organizers due to “technical” reasons.

“We regret to announce that due to technical difficulties the Metallica show at Gurgaon has been postponed until Saturday. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. If there is a cancellation, the ticket amount will be refunded,” read a statement issued by promoters DNA Entertainment Networks.





As news of the cancellation broke just a couple of hours before the metal giants were due to hit the stage late Friday afternoon, some of the 25,000 fans began to riot, trashing the stage and the gear.

The ensuing chaos eventually led to the event being called off entirely with little hope of the concert taking place Saturday. Some TV reports claimed equipment worth $200,000 was damaged while many fans were reportedly injured in a stampede at the Leisure Valley venue.

Video of the chaos quickly made its way to YouTube:










“I was pushed down a staircase. Many others were also injured in the melee. There were no marshals to guide people and few cops to help,” Shouvik Roy, a 41-year-old business consultant who fractured his leg during the stampede, told a newspaper adding that he saw many children and young adults also badly hurt and taken to hospital.

In a brief statement, Metallica said they were “deeply disappointed” with the development.





According to one report, a Metallica crew member who was packing up the sound system late in the evening, said that he was clueless about the situation, “I have no idea at all. I was getting ready to play the show, and then I was told it wasn't happening.”

DNA Networks MD Venkat Vardhan could not be contacted for further comment. But the DNA statement said it will soon give details via full page advertisements in newspapers on how ticket refunds -- ranging from $33 (Rupees 1,650) to Rupees 2,750 -- will be disbursed.

Metallica are still slated to perform in Bangalore on Sunday.





With India in the grip of Formula One fever, with the country hosting its first race this weekend at the Buddh International Circuit on the outskirts of Delhi, news of Metallica's cancellation made headlines immediately with TV channels showing footage of the chaos at the concert venue.

“F1 concert crashes on turn 1,” read the front page headline of leading newspaper The Times of India on Saturday.





“The organisers have to say why they cancelled (the show)... They have cancelled it without taking the district administration into confidence,” Gurgaon Police Commissioner S. S. Deshwal told a newspaper.

Unconfirmed reports also indicated that three officials of DNA Networks were picked up by police late Friday night for questioning.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...d-chaos-254897

[JamesG]

Metallica Concert in India Canceled, Organizers Arrested
10/31/2011
by Nyay Bhushan


Following the cancellation and riot at what would have been Metallica's first India concert in India Friday, four executives of Bangalore-based concert promoters DNA Entertainment were arrested over the weekend.

However, the band's other scheduled India show went off without a hitch in Bangalore on Sunday, with the band rocking an estimated audience of 50,000 at the Palace Grounds venue.

“India has been a life-changing experience for us,” Metallica lead vocalist James Hetfield told the crowd.





The F1 Rocks event – organized alongside India's first Formula One race that took place Sunday near Delhi – was called off by DNA citing “technical reasons” just hours before the band was set to hit the stage in front of an estimated 25,000-strong crowd.

The resulting chaos led to some fans destroying equipment and the stage causing damage worth an estimated $200,000.



Police in the city of Gurgaon said Saturday they had arrested four executives of DNA Entertainment including its operational head Rajesh Chandwani along with three of his team members.

Gurgaon police also summoned DNA founder and MD T Venkat Vardhan to join the investigations.



“We are interrogating four others who are in our custody. Once the company's chief comes here, we will be able to ascertain the reason behind the sudden cancellation of the event,” a police spokesperson was quoted stating.

The police said they had several complaints from fans who alleged that DNA sold more tickets than the venue's capacity and that they were never informed before the cancellation was announced.





Meanwhile, DNA had given a bank guarantee to the Gurgaon administration for 10 million rupees ($200,000) in accordance with local regulations. With the concert cancellation under investigation, police officials said they have asked DNA's Bangalore bank “to not release any payment to the organizers until clearance is given by the Gurgaon administration.”

“Once we, along with DNA, the promoters of the show, determined that there was a failure of a security barricade in front of the stage that could not be adequately repaired, the promoter reluctantly announced the postponement of the show until Saturday. Unfortunately, on such short notice the promoters were unable to secure a permit for a show on Saturday. Therefore, DNA announced that we would not be able to play in Delhi,” Metallica said in a statement on its website.





As for ticket refunds, DNA said it would be issuing full-page advertisements in newspapers giving details which were also posted on its website.

Online ticket buyers have been asked to send their tickets via courier to the company's Bangalore address while retail ticket buyers have been told to get their refunds from the point of purchase.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...rrested-255201