Metallica fans in Guragon, India rioted Friday night after the band canceled their first ever concert scheduled in the country.
Just before the band’s planned opening, the show promoter announced the concert would be postponed until Saturday due to “technical reasons.”
Angry fans who traveled from all over the country began trashing equipment, setting fires, and hurling 10-litre bottles of water onto the stage.
As fans left the venue, which has the capacity of 25,000, huge traffic jams ensued.
Organizers then canceled a show scheduled in Delhi.
Refunds are being offered, and four of the concert’s organizers have been arrested on charges of cheating people and breach of trust. The charges include selling more tickets than the venue could hold and not notifying fans of cancellations on time.
The band issued the following statement on their website:
“We arrived in Delhi on Friday very excited and ready to play our first show ever in India at the F1 Rocks concert. However, immediately at the end of our afternoon press conference at a hotel near the venue, we were notified that there was a serious question as to whether the show could proceed with regard to the safety of the concert audience. And our first and foremost concern is always for the safety of you, the fans.
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. Within the next 24 hours a notification will be issued by DNA regarding the process for full refunds.
We are deeply disappointed with this news as we were looking forward to our first experience in India as much as you guys were. Keep watching for updates here as additional details are determined and confirmed.”
The concert was part of India’s first Formula One race series.
See video below.