Rock fans in Paris saw the emotional return of the Eagles of Death Metal on Monday night, when they joined U2 on stage in a show of unity and support after the terror attacks in the city last month.
“They were robbed of their stage three weeks ago and we would like to offer them ours tonight,” U2 frontman Bono said as he welcomed them on.
The American band were back in the French capital for the first time since 13 November, when their concert at the Bataclan concert hall was invaded and halted by three gunmen who killed 89 people at the venue. Among the victims were the group’s merchandising manager Nick Alexander and three employees of their record label.
In an interview just a few days after the attack, the band said they wanted to carry on performing in tribute to the fans who lost their lives. “Our friends went to see rock and roll and died. I want to go back there and live,” the lead singer Jesse Hughes said. “I cannot wait to get back to Paris and play.”
He said the band wanted to be the first band on stage whenever the Bataclan club reopened to “finish” their gig.
After the band were spotted arriving at Charles De Gaulle airport this week, rumours grew that they would be on the bill with U2.
The Irish band initially denied that the band would be guests, but they were unveiled at the Accorhotels Arena to huge applause on Monday night, marking a triumphant, defiant return to the stage. They sang a rousing rendition of People Have the Power amid emotional scenes.
Bono said: “We must also think of the terrorists’ families … I know it is hard right now.” The singer said the attackers’ families had also been robbed of their loved ones, by “an ideology that is a perversion of the beautiful religion of Islam”.
Parisian Vera Golloch said she had never seen U2 before, but in the circumstances everybody wanted to be “here tonight especially because of who they are with”.
“It’s historic and important, it really is,” she said.