update 02/07/04: Ok, so these review are quite old and probably quite corny, but hey, they make me laugh, so I'll keep them up here!
The day began right after calculus class as i filled up Chrissie (my car)with gas and hit the road for Cleveland, with some Andrew Dice Clay tapes to get me in the mood. Two and a half hours later, I found a place to park and entered the Gund Arena for the first time. I headed to the closest section to take a look at the stage, and wow it was huge. I ran up to the top of the arena to get a better view. The stage was huge, it covered about 75% of the floor, a regular sized hockey rink, and it was centered to one side. It was split in two parts with about ten feet of floor space in between the parts. The larger half was in the shape of the bottom part of a guitar with the drum kit in the middle. The part where the strings would be was cut out to form a pit for all the computer/tech stuff. On all four corners of the stage there were giant light poles, bent in the middle, they looked like huge snakes. Then there was a square set of scaffolding with more lights and swivel chairs for the crew to run spotlights. The smaller half of the stage was shaped like the top of a soccer ball, and had two more larger light poles lying down on the edges of the stage. My seat was in the front row in the first section off the floor at the end of the smaller half of the stage, and off to the left a little. At about 6:30, while the PA was blasting Suicidal Tendencies' Suicidal 4 Life CD, some crew members climbed into the lights above the stage and COC started at 6:50. Highlights included the end of ALBATROSS, when they jammed on AM I EVIL? and HERO OF THE DAY. Some guy came up on stage as a contest winner and played guitar with the band during a song called DIE MOTHER FUCKER, which has pretty much no lyrics except for the title. They closed with CLEANSE MY WOUNDS at 7:30. ST came back on the PA, and by 7:50, Lars' drum kit was set up and the crew were all in place int he lights. We got fired up as the spotlights scanned the crowd and some girls showed off. Then from outta nowhere, Jason caming running out of the dressing room giving high fives to all the fans along the barrier. Lars came out and simply walked up on stage , James and Kirk founs there way up there, and they all started jamming on something (I now know it was BAD SEED, but didn't at the time) it didn't last long as james found a microphone and said "oh yeah" 'yeah' "oh yeah" 'yeah' "I got something to say" "' I killed your baby today'" and they pounded out a very hard version of LAST CARESS, with the light on till the third verse. After that it was straight into the abridged intro to CREEPING DEATH, I could swear theyu got louder as the song went on 'Die, die ,die, die' Jason was the first to venture off the stage, to a microphone set up on the floor, throughout the whole nite, if he was at a mic or not, he sang every word. James fired us up more "do you want heavy?" "then we'll give you heavy SAD BUT TRUE" it was a very heavy version, with the tempo slowed a bit and shorter pauses at the silent parts. Following that, James again baited the crowd into screaming 'We don't give a shit' a few times and then they hit the first new song of the night, AIN'T MY BITCH, followed by HERO OF THE DAY and KING NOTHING, during Kirk's intro the lights on the smaller stage went up as flames came thru it and the outside, which had been slopeing down, leveled off to make the stage bigger. As soon as the song was over, all the lights went out and with the first sound of machine gun fire, I knew it was time to enjoy ONE. Right before James started, the whole stage blew up with flames reaching fifteen feet in the air, it was so hot that I could feel the flames on my bare chest some fifty feet away! ONE was incredible as always, with strobe lights in the second half and a huge explosion after "landmine".Then James said "is it OK if we play a new song? this will be the second time we've played it, so we might fuck up" it's called FUEL and starts with Jmaes saying "gimme fuel gimme fire gimme that which I desire" the song sounds like a mix between CREEPING DEATH, HARVESTER OF SORROW, and DON'T TREAD ON ME. I like it, it is very fast and heavy. After that, the lights went out again, and Jason played the intro to HERO OF THE DAY, then he and kirk played the middle of MY FRIEND OF MISERY and the intro to SANITARIUM, then folloew NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, by this point everyone was on the smaller stage and there was a second drum kit there. UNTIL IT SLEEPS, WHEREVER I MAY ROAM, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, and FADE TO BLACK came after that, with everyone staying on the smaller stage for the most part. The energy during BELLZ and FADE was incredibl, everyone was screaming so loud. Then James said "We wanna play soem more old shit are you ready to be loud" They busted into a medley of parts of RIDE THE LIGHTNING, NO REMORSE, HIT THE LIGHTS, THE FOUR HORSEMEN, SEEK AND DESTROY, and FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE. The energy was incredible, just incredible, everyone was thrashing all around ,screaming and it was just so loud. At the end of that, Kirk took a hammer to his guitar, then trew it up in the air and it landed on a crew member in the pit. Lars has a new hobby, he spits up into the air and tries to catch it in his mouth again, but he missed on the five tries I saw. They came out for the encore jamming on HARVESTER OF SORROW, just Lars and Kirk, then the jammed a bit on MY SHARONA, that didn't sound too good. Then James said "you want some more, so fucking what" and they busted into the heaviest version of that song I'd ever heard, the standard concert version with the third verse missing. the first half of MASTER OF PUPPETS was next then straight into ENTER SANDMAN. by this point, strange things were happening, someone climed up on the light pole to fix a light going haywire, two guys used a fire extinguisher to put out a fire under the min stage. As the song was winding down, all heall broke loose, the lights came crashing down, explosions everywhere, the guy who was in the one light rig swung down to the gound on a rope, another guy tried to climb down a rope ladder, but slipped and got hung by his harness. James crouched down in the middle of the main stage, Lars and Jason were hiding by the drum kit, and I don't know where Kirk went. The someone came running up on stage completely on fire, finally crashing down somewhere between the two stages. We all know by now that this is just part of the show, but it was really convincing the first time I saw it. After one guy is carried off on a stretcher, the crew puts up some old amps on the mian stage, and four light bulbs hang down form the scaffold on strings for lighting. After an inaudible jam, they busted into BREADFAN, with he main sound system kicking back in after about thirty seconds. For the final song, they played OVERKILL "Don't sweat it, tallika gives it back to you" and that was it. the light came on, and the PA starting playing the Pat Boone version of ENTER SANDMAN to scare everyone away! The highlights of the night were definalty the new song, the time at the end of BELLZ when Lars looked up at me air drumming along, all the lighters in the crowd during HERO OF THE DAY, and the energy during FADE. I could tell the band was feeding off the crow as we got louder and louder.
due to popular demand, I'll keep this one short...
I caught up with the war machine againlast night, and again they kicked my ass. The crowd was awesome thid time, a lot more action than last time, it was incredible. here's the set list: SO WHAT!, CREEPING DEATH, SAD BUT TRUE, AIN'T MY BITCH, HERO OF THE DAY, KING NOTHING, ONE, WASTING MY HATE, MY FRIEND OF MISERY/SANITARIUM jam, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, UNTIL IT SLEEPS, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, WHEREVER I MAY ROAM, FADE TO BLACK, SEEK AND DESTROY, last vesr of FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE, LAST CARESS, MASTER OF PUPPETS (half), ENTER SANDMAN, accident, BATTERY. My seat was on the total opposite end of the stage form last time, so I got to see wverything I missed. Before the first encore, Kirk played MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, while Lars had some sort of problem with his drum kit that required the help of Jason, a few crew members and some bolt cutters.
The strangest thing happened yeaterday, MetallicA actually played a show in Pittsburgh. Yeah, go figure, after three years, they finally came back. I don't even know where o start this report, those few short hours last night easily put yesterday into the top five days of my short life. I guess I should start by saying that the Metclub came thru for me, after waiting in line for half an hour, I got my tickets and they said"genadm floor" I was so psyched!! After waiting in the wrong line for a few minutes, I ran down togate 2 just in time to convince everyone there that it was time to storm the gate wheather they were ready for us or not and , after five minutes of pure chaos that included running, pushing, kicking and getting a yellow wristband, I found myself myself standing up agaist the barrier ten feet away from on stage and five from the other, directly in front of one of the microphones on the floor. I couldn't believe how close I was. COC came out and played a pretty cool set, there was a little action behind me, but nothing to prepare me for when tallika came out. A about 8:30, Jason came running outgiving high fivesm it felt like fifty people had jumped on my back! If I were two inches shorter, I'm sure I'd have broken ribs, but luckily all I have is a sore tummy. The setlist was the same as the sow in State College, except they played part of Leper Messiah in the first encore, and added AM I Evil? to the second one. The highlights... too many to list here, but some of the best were chanting"die die die die " with Jason looking rigth at me, and singing a full versr of WASTING MY HATE with James looking at me. Larz spit some water on me, I got to shake Jason and James' hands, plus give Kirk a pat on the back when he triped over a wire and almost wiped out.
Another incredible show sandwhiched into the middle of an incredible weekend. COC played an inspired set to a small but rowdy crowd. They had a girl who won the contest to play DIE MUTHER FUCKER with them, but she looked like she didn't know what to do onstage. Our seats were aewsome againt thanks to the Metclub, fourth row of seats off the floor and square with the middle edge of the big stage which was to our left. At about 7:50 we got our first suprise of the night as some sequrity guards lead a group of six huge guys to the best spot on the floor, the same place I had been for the show in Pittsburgh. My buddy said that one of the guys looked familiar, and upon closer inspection, sure enuff it was Drew Bledsoe, Scott Zolak, and a few other members of the New England Patriots. Jason finally came out twenty minutes later, followed by James with a video camera in hand, Kirk with his Dennis Rodman guiter, and Larz in his usual outfit consisting of only a set of boxer shorts. They hopped up on stage, did their little jam thing, and when James stepped up to the mic, he was greated with an incredible cheer, so loud that he stepped back from the mic and turned to Larz in amazement. The crowd was so loud, there were times I couldn't hear a word james was saying. The set list was the same as always; So WHAT!, CREEOING DEATH, SAD BUT TRUE, AIN'T MY BITCH, HERO OF THE DAY, KING NOTHING, ONW, WASTING MY HATE, Jason/Kirk solo thingy, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS, UNTIL IT SLEEPS, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, WHEREVER I MAY ROAM. Throughout the set, I could feel the energy building, with an incredible frenzied madness during BELLZ and ROAM, then came FADE TO BLACK which really hit me hard because I'd been having a really emotional weekend already and that song always brings out the emotion in me just that much more. By this time, the crowd was ready for the loudest version of SEEK AND DESTROY ever. Then it was straight into FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE, followed by a much needed fifteen minute break. For the first encore, Kikr and Larz played a bit of NO REMORSE and JUMP IN THE FIRE, before they played LAST CARESS, MASTER OF PUPPETS, and ENTER SANDMAN. they actully got off beat for a few seconds during SANDMAN, but it was hardly noticeable. The accident was cool as uasual, and I couldn't help but yell "I can't belive Drew Bledsoe sabataged MetallicA", just for a good laugh. The jammed on Deep Purple's HIGHWAY STAR, then tried to start AM I EVIL? about five times before they finally got it right. After holding the last chord of that song for what seemed like a minute, they blasted into WHIPLASH, not the slowed down heavier version from the Lollapolluzza tour either, this was as fast as ever. Jason sang the first two vreses, they dropped the third and James sang the last verse. "We'll never stop, we'll never quit"... then with a huge cymbal crash, they paused the song long enuff for james to scream "cause you're MetallicA". It was truely a great ending to a great show and a great time of following the monster all around the north-eastern USA
There are 363 days this year, then there are the 2 that I get to go to MetallicA concerts. I felt like a race car driver as I drove to Polaris ampitheater, the road signs would read "Columbus 138" and "Columbus 119". It was like my pit crew telling me how many laps were left. We arrived around 5:30 and picked up our tickets, then headed in to find our seats. There is nothing quite like being a few rows back from the stage. Days of the New were actually pretty good, a lot harder than i expected, I was impressed. Lars, Kirk and James were right on the side of the stage watching them for a song or 2. Jerry Cantrell came on stage 5 minutes after their set was over. His set was pretty good also, played some new stuff , plus some stuff from Alice in Chains. They closed with a Pink Floyd song. After that, it was time for the real show to begin. At about 8:45 the house lights went out and Ecstacy of Gold began. Lars slipped behind the kit and as soon as the intro music was over, Layed down the beat to Helpless and we were off. As I looked around the fans seemed stunned to hear that song to open, I couldn't wait to see the reactions to the other suprises. The full version of Master of Puppets was awesome, James missed the same note as he always does and the begining of the second half, but as the laughter echoed out the endind of the song, I knew I'd just seen something special. James cracked something about how they were gonna play a few different songs for all of us who'd seen them 500 times and it was into Of Wolf and Man, followed by the demonicly heavy song The Thing That Should Not Be. Kirk played a short solo ending with that cool into that sounds like a car accelerating thru the gears that leads to "Gimme fuel, gimme fire gimme that which I desire" , then BOOM the first pyro of the nite, which set me off ino a headbanging frenzy. James ended by saying "I love that fucking song" to which I can only agree 100%. The Memory Reamins was next, it was really neat to hear everyone sining Marianne's part, but that's a difficult octive to sing at for me, so it was a nice strain on the vocal chords. Jason played a short solo after that, then he and Kirk jammed on Where the Wild Things Are before Nothing Else Matters, Until it Sleeps, King Nothing, and Wherever I May Roam. the lights went down, and the gunshots started, but 8 minutes later, I couldn't believe that I just saw One without a single pyro. It just didn't seem right, especialy on the 4th of July. After that the light went down again, and the acoustical into to Fight Fire With Fire was pumped out at us. They were kind enough to throw a pyro into the beginning of this song. Halfway thru the song the stoped, and James yelled "Are you alive" twice, then they picked up right where they left off. They passed out a few picks and sticks, then headed off stage for a few while the crew brought out the small drum kit and stools for the acoustic part. it was pretty neat actually, they pumped the sound of the Hurdy- gurdy over thru the speakers while they were playing Low Man's Lyric. Jason didn't do to good of a job of selling this part because he sat there with his eyes closed and looked like he was taking a nap until his entrance into the song. The Four Horsemen was neat also, but not to many people around me seemed to like it. They jammed Stairway to Heaven until Jason got up and started to walk away, James said "what's the matter don't you like that song" to whick Jason replied, "I do, that's why I left!" I was kinda hoping to hear Last Caress, but Motorbreath was just as good. After that they did a little jam that I couldn't reconize while the crew cleared the stage and then it was into Sad But True complete with a little drum solo ending. Enter Sandman followed with the third and final pyro at the begining, then Creeping Death was the final song, Lars fucked up the intro and James asked everyone if we really wanted to hear that song, before the closed out the set.
This was a neat set, I was happy to finally hear some "new" older songs. the Highlight of the show were for sure the first half hour, and also the girls behind us, they were as loud as I was! I was disapointed with a few things, the lack of pyros , the fact the dropped a song of f the A list and didn't replace it or anything. But the worst part of the show was the sound, it wasn't loud enuff, Kirk's guitar was barley audible at times, one of Lars' drums was louder than the reast, and the center mic was back and created some feadback and crunching sounds for a few songs until they decided to unplug it, much to James' suprise as he sang a few lines of the last verse of Sandman there until he realized it wasn't on!! it was by no means the best show I'd ever been to, by still, it's what I live for, so I had a great time.
All I can say is, that was the loudest show i've ever been to, 3 times louder than the show on saturday. The seats I got from the metclub were awesome as usual, second row, all the way on the right end of the stage (kirk's side) For half of the show, kirk was standing 3 feet away and 3 feet above me. The best part was that there was a bank of speakers 15 feet high and 8 feet wide right next to me, I could touch them! Plus the 20 speakers ganged together hanging directly over me. i can't possibly explain how loud it was. At the end of Helpless I took a few steps over and tried to stand in front of the speakers, but it was so loud that it actually knocked me backwards!! I tried again at in the second half of Master, but it was just so loud i thought my ears were gonna bleed. The floor below us was shaking during the entire show also. Same setlist as the other nite, except the did play Bleeding Me after The Memory Remains. An absolutly incredidle show, much better than the 4th of July show.
A couple of other things that i've remembered since the show. In the acoustic part, they do not play the hurdy gurdy over the pa, kirk actually plays it. The crowd was absolutly incredible around me, and if you want proof, go to Metontour.com and check out the pictures of the show. In the one with the caption "Thank You and You and You", that's me holding up the sign that says "MetallicA 3:16". the other side said "Will headbang for food"
OUCH!!!! This was the most aggressive concert I've ever been to. Going in, I was a little worried about how they would sound with all the new guys, but they were just incredible. Josh Paul is so talented on the Bass, and his sound mixed with Brooks Wackerman's drumming is really thick. Dean Pleasents' lead guitar is not quite Rocky, but then again, who could be! Still, he does a wonderful job on the older stuff, and all the new stuff is just incredible.
A local band called Crayon Death opened, they were not too bad. The next band was from LA, and called Jughead, they were not too good. After all that crap, Suicidal finally came out, just walked up on stage and fiddled around for a bit, then launced into a set that I would have never guessed. Here's the set list.
War Inside My Head, Subliminal, 1 very funky verse of Waking the Dead, Won't Fall in Love Today, Freedumb (new song, on the Six the Hard Way EP), Suicidal Failure, Send Me Your Money, Fascist Pig, Lovely, Possessed to Skate, Cyco Vision, (another new one on the Six the Hard Way EP), Institutionalized, 2-Sided Politics, We Are Family, Scream Out (2 new songs on the Friends and Family cd), I Want More, I Saw Your Mommy (with a cool Disco intro), Ain't Gonna Take It ( another new one, it will be on the next cd), short break..., Join the New Army, Pledge Your Allegiance
All nite, the pit was so intense, people were going crazy, it was great. It was so great to hear all of those old songs, but I was most impressed with the new stuff, it is so thick and heavy, but still funky... Only one way to describe it, Suicidal.
