Band fights to stage suicide

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A Florida-based rock band that has promised that an unidentified terminally ill person will suicide on stage during an October concert is fighting a legal battle to have the show go on.

On Tuesday the St Petersburg City Council passed an emergency ordinance that makes suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes illegal, as a way of countering the rock band Hell on Earth's promise to show an onstage suicide during an October 4, 2003 concert in the city.

Precisely where the concert will be is uncertain.

The State Theatre in St Petersburg was the scheduled venue for the concert, but the theatre has cancelled the performance.
The band has until Thursday to have a hearing before Pasco-Pinellas Counties Circuit Judge John Lenderman to explain why they should be allowed to proceed with the concert and the scheduled suicide.
St Petersburg City Council member Bill Foster said that "if they (Hell on Earth) promote this concert in any way, they're in violation of this ordinance. This ordinance also applies to Ticketmaster" a corporation that oversees ticket sales for entertainment events.
He also explained that "no one can collect a penny from charging an admission fee for this concert". Accordingly, Ticketmaster stopped selling Hell on Earth concert tickets on Tuesday.

On the band's internet website, it is explained that the would-be suicide was Hell on Earth's way of protesting doctor-assisted suicide.

http://onenews.nzoom.com/onenews_detail/0,1227,225145-1-9,00.html

This is horrifying and disturbing.

― C J (C J), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

That sounds nice enough. I wouldn't particularly wanna watch it (although I imagine it being more tolerable than most Hell on Earth gigs). What's the problem? It trivialises death, suicide? At least you'd have to pay to get in. Spotty losers hanging themselves in their bedrooms over A-level results, that's trivial.

Where d'you think the death would come in the setlist? At the very end seems most obvious. But I'd like to think it would be placed somewhere near the beginning.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I always like it when a band gives away their big song about three or four tracks in, so I'd have to agree with EK.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I bet it would be really anti-climacyic. Would there be musical accompaniment, a drum roll?

― adaml (adaml), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

"anti-climactic"

― adaml (adaml), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, I'd think you'd want a sort of suicide by injection -- it could be administered early on but it would take a while for the person to die. So you'd have the drama throughout the set.

― Chris P (Chris P), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

But wouldn't he just sort of fall asleep? How about giant heart-rate screens either side of the stage?

― adaml (adaml), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

No, that would be sensationalistic, now wouldn't it? Have some respect.

― Chris P (Chris P), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 18:00 (twenty-one years ago)

they're doing this as a way of way of protesting doctor-assisted suicide???

I don't get it? They're against doctors assisting, they'd rather have bands assist?
I thought dr.-assisted suicide was all about dying with dignity. There doesn't seem to be a lot of dignity involved in this.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

If they then had the guy onstage for FOLLOWING shows it'd be better than the Misfits and the Cramps combined!

― dave q, Wednesday, 1 October 2003 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

the reason they're announcing this has nothing to do with dr-assissted suicide. I'll give you a clue to thr real motivation, it starts with a "P".

― A Girl Named Sam (thatgirl), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 20:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Pr0n0graphy, you mean.

― Leee (Leee), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 20:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Tasteless. Just when you think humans can't sink any lower. Only plus: it won't be on webcam

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Sam, the phrase "we are screaming twatholes" doesn't start with a P.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Geez, they can't even spell.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Pwatholes? Doesn't quite trip off of the tongue.

(x-post)

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Is that Boston for missing asphalt from streets?

― Leee (Leee), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 22:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Uh, "publicity"? This is all a crock of shit. They did it so people would write news stories about them and message board patrons would rail against them.

I mean has "Hell on Earth" ever been discussed on ILx before?

― A Girl Named Sam (thatgirl), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

For the first...and last....time, Sammy

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Horace, Sam, Nichole, and Dan are altogether so OTM, I can't think of anything else to add.

― Legendary Nothingness (Dee the Lurker), Thursday, 2 October 2003 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean has "Hell on Earth" ever been discussed on ILx before?

...and has anyone here ever heard of them before, much less discuss them here?

― Christine 'Green Leafy Dragon' Indigo (cindigo), Thursday, 2 October 2003 00:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, slowly slipping to sleep while singing "The End" to a bunch of asshole hipsters sounds like a half decent way to go out. Though I doubt this person'll think of singing that.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 2 October 2003 00:44 (twenty-one years ago)

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