Concerts were held there but it was best known for putting on the vaudevilles of Eugène Scribe, Jean-François Bayard, Mélesville, and Théophile Marion Dumersan.

[3] The establishment, designed in 1864 by the architect Charles Duval, opened under the management of André Martin Paris on 3 February 1865 and was later bought by the singer Paulus in 1892.

Inspired by their new successes, the Bataclan troupe took big shows on a South American tour that proved financially disastrous.

[7] The Bataclan is known today for a very eclectic programme of events, including rock and pop concerts, spectacles, comedy, discos and café-théâtre.

[8] In May 2015, the theatre hosted a "Who Is Malcolm X" event, featuring Muslim rappers Médine, Kery James, Disiz and Faada Freddy.

[9] The 1972 performance by Lou Reed, John Cale and Nico of the Velvet Underground, long circulated as a bootleg, was officially released in 2004 as Le Bataclan '72.

A video posted on YouTube shows masked pro-Palestinian militant protesters at the Bataclan in 2008 stating: "We came here to pass along a small message.

"[12] On 13 November 2015, as part of a series of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist attacks across Paris, three gunmen who were French nationals of Algerian descent conducted a mass shooting at the Bataclan.

The band members of Eagles of Death Metal and most of the road crew escaped unharmed, although their merchandise manager was among the fatalities.

[16][17] It was discovered shortly after the news broke of the attacks that the American rock band Deftones had members in attendance at the Eagles of Death Metal Show.

Irish rock band U2 had been scheduled to perform two Paris concerts in the days following the attack, including one to be broadcast live on HBO.

The French government cancelled the concert and the members of the band went to the Bataclan the day after the attack, leaving bouquets of flowers in memory of the victims.