Metallica played thousands of concerts worldwide, but few have been as dangerous as their show in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 13, 1999. Before the band even landed, they received a serious threat from PKK, a terrorist group that warned them not to come. The situation nearly led to the concert being canceled, and it took last-minute government intervention to make sure the show went on.
The Concert That Almost Didn’t Happen
Metallica was at the peak of their career in 1999. The band had already played in Turkey before, and fans were excited to see them again. However, just before their scheduled concert at Ali Sami Yen Stadium in Istanbul, news broke that the terrorist group PKK had threatened the band’s safety. They sent letters saying, “If you come, we will shoot.”
This was a tense time in Turkey. Just a few months earlier, Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of PKK, had been captured and brought to Turkey. The group carried out violent attacks in response, including the Mavi Çarşı firebombing in March 1999, which killed people in Istanbul. The country was on high alert, and many cultural events were being canceled due to security concerns.
Metallica’s Arrival and Safety Concerns
Ahmet San, the organizer of Metallica’s concerts in Turkey, was the first to hear about the threats. He tried to reach out to Interior Minister Sadettin Tantan for help, but he was ignored. According to San, Tantan even told his assistant, “Don’t give those musicians any special treatment.”
Metallica members were understandably worried. When they landed in Turkey after a flight from Athens, Greece, they refused to hand over their passports. They believed that security wasn’t strong enough to protect them, and at one point, they even considered leaving without playing the show.
Negotiations to Save the Concert
Ahmet San flew to Germany to meet with the band and negotiate a solution. Metallica agreed to perform, but they had strict conditions:
- They would go directly from their plane to the stadium in special vehicles.
- They would not go through normal security checkpoints.
- After the concert, they would immediately leave Turkey.
San agreed to these terms, but there was still one major obstacle. On the day of the concert, airport security refused to let the vehicles drive up to the plane. This led to a heated argument between San and government officials.
U.S. Embassy Gets Involved
As Metallica waited at the airport, they became frustrated and even called the U.S. Embassy to tell them they were being held against their will. At the same time, San desperately tried to contact Turkish officials for help. Former Prime Ministry undersecretary Erhan Göksel eventually stepped in and called Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu. Mumcu took the problem seriously unlike others and made sure Metallica’s request was approved.
The band finally made it to the stadium with only 20 minutes to spare.
A Concert Under Threat
Despite everything that happened, Metallica played their full set in front of thousands of fans. Security was tight, and everyone knew about the earlier threats, but the concert went on without any incidents. The band left the country as soon as the show ended.
Metallica’s 1999 Istanbul concert remains one of the most dangerous shows they have ever played. The combination of a terrorist threat, government delays, and security fears nearly stopped the performance from happening. If not for last-minute intervention, the band might’ve left without ever stepping on stage.
