This is what the Philadelphia Enquirer reported about the Free Concert, the first time.
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Metallica battle is not over yet
By Sudarsan Raghavan
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Evelyn Sonsini has her fingers crossed and her earplugs in hand.
But those precautions won't necessarily prevent her South Philadelphia
home from shaking, rattling, perhaps even rolling from the heavy-metal
shockwaves of a free Metallica concert scheduled for tomorrow in the
CoreStates Center parking lot.
"Earplugs aren't going to do it," said Sonsini, 66, who is the president
of the Veteran's Stadium Neighborhood Association. "Every time there's a
concert, the walls vibrate, the whole house vibrates."
Sonsini, her neighbors, City Council members and CoreStates executives
are furious over U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle's order Saturday that
green-lighted the appearance by Metallica, expected to attract more than
40,000 "metalheads."
In addition to ear-shattering sounds from the self-proclaimed "world's
loudest band," they are concerned about crowds of over-amped fans
swarming through the area.
So CoreStates lawyers were preparing to go to the U.S. Third Circuit
Court of Appeals last night to try and stop the concert.
And City Council members and other interested parties were to meet last
night to consider all possible ways -- including looking into potential
zoning code violations -- to pull the plug on Metallica.
"This is not Woodstock," said Anna May Mastrull, who has lived in the
neighborhood for 33 years and whose son went to the Woodstock concert
nearly 30 years ago. "We're talking about a city with homes and
property. Not a farm upstate."
For thousands of whooping fans waiting in long, snaking ticket lines
outside record stores yesterday evening for a coveted -- but limited --
number of free tickets, there were no doubts that they were going to see
Metallica.
On the Internet, chat sessions also were abuzz with the concert.
"Who are they kidding by anticipating only 40,000," wrote Anthony (no
last name) to the "Metal Militia," which happens to be name of a
Metallica song. "I don't think that any Metallica fan within the
surrounding states will miss this one. . . . See you in Philly."
But only if you have a ticket, and by last night, they were all gone, a
CoreStates spokesman said. No one will be able to attend or park without
a ticket, and tailgating will not be permitted, the spokesman said.
Over the years, Metallica has gained near cult status for razor-sharp,
teenage-angst lyrics and speedy guitar riffs. The combination often
induces young concert goers to jump into frenzied "mosh pits," where
they bang chests and heads and scream the words to Metallica songs with
titles such as "Crash Course in Brain Surgery" and "The Frayed Ends of
Sanity" and "Seek and Destroy."
If it takes place, the concert is to be broadcast live over radio
stations in the United States, Europe and Japan as well as on MTV.
Metallica's manager, Tony DiCioccio, told Bartle that it was too late to
alter these plans.
That's why Bartle ordered CoreStates to honor an agreement to host the
event. He also denied a request from CoreStates officials to have the
concert moved indoors, saying that would cause "irreparable harm" to the
band's efforts to promote its seventh album, Reload, due to be released
Nov. 18.
Although there was no written contract, Metallica's lawyers successfully
argued that oral agreements are typical in the music industry.
"I do feel for the residents of South Philadelphia," said Barry Ungar,
an attorney for Metallica. "But if CoreStates did not want Metallica to
come, they should have said so in the beginning. Not at the last moment
because they don't want to harm relations with their neighbors."
Bartle ruled that CoreStates did take measures that indicated a contract
was in existence, such as quoting the band a $20,000 rental price for
the concert site.
But CoreStates lawyers and city council members charge that in rendering
his decision, Bartle, in effect, "wrote the contract." Their contention
that Bartle exceeded his authority is the basis of their Third Circuit
appeal.
Also, some City Council members are considering seeking an injunction
today against the concert, said Kathleen Murray, an aide to South
Philadelphia Councilwoman Anna Verna.
One Council member said that a meeting was to be held last night to
explore such questions as whether city zoning codes allow concerts on
parking lots or whether noise pollution codes would be broken by
Metallica's performance.
And codes aren't all that opponents are afraid may be broken. Residents
worried yesterday about the prospects of thousands of young people
roaming near their properties.
CoreStates officials declined to comment on security measures for the
concert, and Metallica's security organizers could not be reached
yesterday.
"If the concert comes off, Metallica and its partners should be prepared
to take full responsibility for whatever that occurs," said James
Kenney, a city councilman. "We'll be monitoring everything in sight."
So will Evelyn Sonsini.
"I guess our organization will band together and stand guard over our
homes," she said.
Said Mastrull: "If this was Frank Sinatra or someone of that caliber, we
wouldn't be complaining.
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