The Eagles Of Death Metal took to the stage in Paris last night for the first time since the November attack on Le Bataclan left 89 audience members dead and many more wounded.
Jesse Hughes came out at L’Olympia to the sounds of Jacques Dutronc’s “Paris, s’Éveille” (“Paris, Wake Up”), saying, “Bonsoir, Paris—we’re ready for this!” before the band—this time with Josh Homme back on drums—launched into “I Only Want You.”
The band paused mid-song, asking for 89 minutes of silence—then launched furiously back into the music.
“If we turn the page after the attacks of November, then we made it. That’s it,” Cedric Rey, one of the survivors of the attack on Le Bataclan, told Sky News. “We’re going to go to the bar with all the other survivors and we are going to continue the night, uh, drink. Because we are French and we’re going to drink. And enjoy the night and finish [turning] the page.”
Cedric then planted a kiss on the cheek of the next girl interviewed. Because he’s French, and he’s going to kiss people. John Oliver, as usual, had it completely right.
