Metallica fails to kick off, chaos at venue

PTI

Gurgaon, 29 October 2011: Celebrated American Heavy Metal and Rock band Metallica’s maiden concert in India failed to kick off as scheduled on Friday night triggering chaos at the venue and leaving thousands of fans disappointed.

 

After citing technical problems for the postponement, the concert organisers said the eagerly awaited concert by the American Grammy-winning group, considered the gods of rock, will be held tomorrow.

 

"Due to some technical problems we are postponing the Metallica concert to tomorrow," organisers said but did not give details.

 

"The organisers have informed the police that due to technical reasons they are postponing the concert," said Gurgaon police commissioner SS Deshwal, ruling out it was due to chaos at the venue.

 

Fans including from outside the National Capital Region(NCR) had already gathered in large numbers at the Leisure Valley in Gurgaon for the concert scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm. The venue has a capacity to seat an audience of around 30,000 fans.

 

After the news of postponement was announced on stage, disappointed fans tried to vandalise the venue. They broke barriers, climbed on stage and tore posters.

 

Fans waited with bated breath to hear the band belt out their biggest hits from ’Nothing Else Matters’ and ’Enter Sandman’ to ’One’ and ’Seek and Destroy’.

 

Metallica is in India to coincide with Formula One making its beginning for the first time in India. They are due to perform in Bangalore on Sunday.

 

"It is so disappointing. I have been standing in the line for two hours and then the organisers just announce that it has been postponed to tomorrow because of some technical difficulties," said Ramnik, a fan at the venue.

 

Another outstation fan Karan said, "I am very disappointed that the concert has been cancelled. I came all the way from Mumbai to see the concert. I have been standing for almost two hours now and have just been told that it has been postponed. No organiser has made any official statement if our tickets will be reimbursed or not."

 

Metallica is in the country to perform as a part of F1 Rocks and is scheduled to perform in Bangalore on Sunday. PC Meena, deputy commissioner of police, Gurgaon, said, "We had taken a bank guarantee of Rs one crore from the organisers to grant permission for the concert.

 

"If the administration finds that the reason behind the postponement of the concert is not genuine, then we will refund the ticket amount to buyers." He also said that they may blacklist the organisers barring them from organising such events in Gurgaon further.