Metallica New York: Concert Review
Legends of Heavy Metal Awe Fans at Madison Square Garden
Amidst an ongoing “World Magnetic Tour,” Metallica played back-to-back nights to sold out crowds at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
For nearly twenty years fans were left scratching their heads – their once beloved thrash-metal pioneers were going soft, or so it seemed. Fast-forward a decade to the release of “Some Kind of Monster,” internal conflict and clashing artistic visions threatened to separate one of musics all-time largest acts once and for all.
Just when things were looking irreparable and utterly bleak, redemption came in the shape of a roughly 5 in. x 5 in. case: Death Magnetic was released to a combination of critical acclaim and a resounding sigh of relief from one enormous fan base. Following the release of the album, Metallica went on an extensive tour that began in early 2008 and will go well into 2010, stopping to play New York’s famous Madison Square Garden two nights in a row to sold out crowds.
Opening Acts
All the way from Copenhagen, Denmark, Volbeat joined Metallica on tour to play a fusion of rockabilly, hard-rock, and heavy metal. Next up were Lamb of God, the face of a new wave of heavy metal that came with the early 90’s. Both bands sounded great, and were a good fit for the many different types of music Metallica have experimented with throughout their career.
Metallica Fights Fire with Pyrotechnics
If you have ever been to a Metallica show, you know the drill by now. Loud music, enormous fires, a dazzling laser show – everything bigger, louder, and faster. The band took the stage to their signature intro, “Ecstasy of Gold” from the 1966 film “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” a tribute to the ethos of the stoic anti-hero portrayed by Clint Eastwood.
Dressed mostly in black, James, Krik, Lars, and Robert took the stage under the cover of dark, meanwhile the palpitating heart intro of Death Magnetic’s opening track “That Was Just Your Life” permeated the arena. Then the guitars came crashing in with laser-like speed and intensity accompanied by an explosive light show. During their fan-favorite “One” band members navigated between enormous explosions of fire that shot up from the stage.
Metallica November 14th Madison Square Garden Setlist
1. That Was Just Your Life
2. The End of the Line
3. For Whom the Bell Tolls
4. Holier Than Thou
5. One
6. Broken, Beat and Scarred
7. Cyanide
8. Sad But True
9. Turn the Page (Bob Seger cover)
10. All Nightmare Long
11. The Day That Never Comes
12. Master of Puppets
13. Fight Fire With Fire
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
Encore
1. Helpless (Diamond Head cover)
2. Whiplash
3. Seek and Destroy
Madison Square Garden Review
The band sounded fantastic, and they always put on an energetic and lengthy show. During their final track enormous black beach balls with the words “Metallica Death Magnetic” printed on them are released into the audience, giving the moment a true rock show feeling.
However, for fans who have seen the band before there has been very little variation between setlists and antics during this tour. Kirk and Trujilo did interlude solos at the same moments, Hetfield said nearly all the same things. The set list for this particular show was even a little weaker than others; the band neglected many of the fan-favorites like “Fade to Black,” “Creeping Death,” and “Battery.”
The highlight of the night was the often unsung gem from their second album, “Fight Fire With Fire” which had Hetfield barking like it was 1984 again. Otherwise, Metallica puts on one of the biggest and most professional and competent live shows out there.
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