Destruction Holds 'Keep Distance' Concert For The First Time

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic has not yet ended. However, German thrash metal gang Desruction played their first concert in Pratteln, Switzerland, last Saturday, July 4.

In response to the distance restrictions caused by COVID-19, only 300 tickets are available at the Z7 club with a capacity of 1,600 spectators. According to YouTube user Heike M.666 - who attended the show and posted footage showing the atmosphere of the crowd - the tickets didn't sell out either.

A few weeks before the Z7 concert, Destruction frontman Schmier spoke with Audio Ink Radio's Anne Erickson about the prospect of getting on stage amid the pandemic.

"It feels a little surreal. Nobody expected this to come back so soon, but we are in a fortunate position to live on the Swiss border, and Switzerland is way ahead of all other countries ... And there are very few cases of coronavirus, so it will be a very pleasant experience. interesting, "said Schmier.

"It would be weird playing the show again, because this is the first time in 20 years we haven't played a show in three months. This is the longest time ever. It's very exciting, of course. We hope to play again, but of course it will. feels a little strange, "he continued.

Schmier also expressed his optimism about the prospect of additional live music shows in the coming weeks.

"What we're having now is the concert's first try, and Switzerland, too, is way ahead, so the whole world will watch this country and see how it develops. So, it will be interesting, and hopefully we won't get another hard hit, but the way things are going at the moment, looks good. Switzerland ended the lockdown just a few weeks ago. In Germany, we still wear masks when we go shopping for groceries and goods, but in Switzerland, there's no need to wear masks anymore. "

In a separate interview with The Metal Voice, Schmier said that he had no interest in doing a drive-in concert during the COVID-19 crisis. "I didn't appear for the car," he said. "That's not quite right - it's totally wrong. If this is the last step to take - to play a live show in front of the car - I might think about it. But at the moment, it's impossible."

"(Drive-in concerts) are not suitable for metal music. Metal society has to rock, and we want to feel the beat of the bass. I understand people do this now, because they are desperate," added Schmier.

"But (this) is not for Destruction. We actually received an offer to do this (drive-in concert), but I don't want to disappoint fans with nonsense like this. Sorry."

As COVID-19 continues to spread, live event organizers have canceled or postponed a number of large events, including concerts and festivals.

Artists, crew and other workers in the industry have lost billions of dollars as a result of COVID-19 related cancellations. This represents only a fraction of the financial devastation that workers in this sector suffer as cancellations roll on.

In early April, Dr. Yehezkiel "Zeke" Emanuel, one of the chief architects of the Affordable Care Act and special adviser to the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), told The New York Times he expects there will be no concerts, sporting events and other public gatherings until the fall of 2021. .

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States through travelers attending these events and introducing the virus to new communities.