In this Nov 12, 2016 photo provided by Universal Music France, British musician Sting performs on stage at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, France, Nov 12. (AP)

PARIS, Nov 13, (Agencies): Rock star Sting on Saturday reopened the Bataclan, the Paris concert hall where jihadists massacred 90 people, with a hugely symbolic and emotional show to mark the first anniversary of France’s bloodiest terror attack.

But in a sensational turn of events, the concert hall’s co-director said he had prevented two members of the US group Eagles of Death Metal, who were on stage when the bloodshed started on Nov 13, 2015, from entering.

“They came, I threw them out — there are things you can’t forgive”, Bataclan co-director Jules Frutos told AFP, furious at Eagles frontman Jesse Hughes for his claims that some of the venue’s Muslim security men were complicit in the attack.

“He makes these incredibly false declarations every two months. It is madness, accusing our security of being complicit with the terrorists ... Enough. Zero. This has to stop”, Frutos added.

Hughes, a rare right-wing rocker and supporter of US president-elect Donald Trump, has also said without evidence that Muslims were celebrating outside during the venue during the siege.

However the band’s manager Marc Pollack denied members of the group had tried to enter the Bataclan, telling Billboard magazine: “Jesse did not even try to enter the room for the concert of Sting”.

In a brief email Pollack told AFP that the information was “false”, “no comment”.

Sting began what had been billed as “the toughest gig in rock” with a minute’s silence for the 130 people who lost their lives in a night of Islamic State gun and bomb attacks across the French capital.

The British singer — who spoke French throughout the gig — told the crowd that “We will not forget them” before launching into a set that walked a perfect line between celebration and reflection.

Historic

“Tonight we have two tasks to achieve”, he said. “First to remember those who lost their lives in the attack, and then to celebrate life and music in this historic place”.

Many in the crowd wept during the first song, “Fragile” as Sting sang “Nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could”, but the singer then got the place on its feet clapping and stamping with “Message In a Bottle”.

“I’ll send an SOS to the world”, he sang. “Only hope can keep us alive”.

Scores of survivors of the Bataclan assault attended the packed concert, the dominant event in a weekend of otherwise low-key commemorations.

Among them was Aurelien, in his thirties, determined to have a good night despite the pain of returning to the scene of so much horror.

“It’s the first time I’ve been in a public space for a year. I haven’t been to the cinema, to a concert. I get my shopping delivered”, he said.

“Tonight I’m taking my life back like it was before. It’s a duty, there’s an obligation to be here — because there are 90 people who can’t come anymore”, he added, visibly moved, his hands trembling.

“This song is about a family on a boat” trying to get to Europe, Sting said.

“I don’t have a solution for the migrant crisis but I think we can find one through empathy”.

The biggest applause of the night, however, was for “Desert Rose”, a song Sting originally recorded with the Algerian singer Cheb Mami. Performed with the Lebanese trumpet star Ibrahim Maalouf, its driving arabesque beat felt like a defiant retort to puritanical Islamist dogma from which the gunmen sprang.

As he left the stage, the star said, “Vive le Bataclan” (Long live the Bataclan), before returning to perform alone the “Empty Chair”, a song he wrote in tribute to US journalist James Foley, who worked for AFP, who was beheaded by IS in Syria in 2014.

“I dedicate this to all the families here tonight who have lost someone”, Sting said.

Georges Salines, who lost his 28-year-old daughter Lola at the Bataclan, said the concert was “almost a taking back of the space for music and fun from the forces of death”.

More than 250 survivors and victims’ families attended the concert.

On Sunday, the actual anniversary of the attacks, French President Francois Hollande and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo will unveil plaques outside the Bataclan as well as the other locations that were targeted — the national stadium, restaurants and bars.

One year on, nine people out of the around 400 injured in the rampage are still in hospital.

Security

During an interview on Fox Business News in March, Hughes insinuated that the Bataclan security was in on the attacks. Hughes later apologized for making “unfounded and baseless” suggestions.

In a later interview he criticized France’s strict gun control policies.

“Did your French gun control stop a single person from dying at the Bataclan?” he said. “If anyone can answer yes, I’d like to hear it, because I don’t think so”.

Frutos told the AFP back in September that the “Eagles of Death Metal” had not approached him to perform again at the Bataclan, but said he would have refused if they had asked.

“ dared to make incredibly false declarations every two months. A pure craziness, accusing the security staff to have been the terrorists’s accomplices ... Enough. Zero. Period”.

Variety has reached out for a comment from the venue and the band.

Sting’s performance marks the reopening of the venue. Hughes and the band’s manager are in Paris this weekend to attend the national homage that will take place tomorrow for the one year anniversary of the tragedy. The Bataclan’s slate of upcoming concerts include Pete Doherty, Youssou N’dour, Marianne Faithfull, Yael Naim and The Flaming Lips, among others.

“Heavy security for Sting’s concert at the Bataclan in Paris, one year after the attacks”, tweeted Variety foreign corespondent Elsa Keslassy, who contributed to this report.

Before the concert Frutos said that he was sick of listening to Hughes’ conspiracy theories.

The claims tarnished the band’s image and enraged the Bataclan’s managers, who strongly rejected the charges.

Invitations for EODM to play a number of French summer music festivals were also swiftly withdrawn.

Before he made the claims, Hughes told AFP that he wanted to be the first to play the Bataclan.

Hughes and his band have returned to Paris twice since the attack, to share the stage with U2 in December and to play the Olympia concert hall in February in front of many of the survivors.

The singer will be present outside the concert hall on Sunday for the unveiling of a plaque to the victims of the attack by French President Francois Hollande and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.