View our entire photo gallery from this show here.
Metallica played a special benefit concert last Thursday, and rocked The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood; a 1,200 capacity venue, with their larger than life, stadium encompassing show. Fun fact, this author’s first Metallica gig was at The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum [capacity: 90,000+] in 2003. Another fun fact: on Metallica’s gargantuan 1992 Wherever We May Roam tour, the band played five shows at The Forum [capacity: 17,000+] in L.A. between January and February. FIVE. Why is this relevant? Because the biggest band in the cosmos just blessed an absurdly small amount of Metallica fanatics with one of the most intimate concert experiences imaginable…and they did it for a good cause. All ticket proceeds from the night went to the L.A. Regional Food Bank.
Fans lined up for hours outside, some traveling across the country, hell even from other countries, and waited in the pouring rain to catch The Four Horsemen on such a small stage. There was no opening act, just James, Lars, Kirk and Robert for close to two hours. They opened with “Breadfan,” went straight into “Creeping Death” and followed up with “Metal Militia” I shit you not! The band seemed excited to be in such proximity with one another, and the crowd; smiling and striking poses for their rabid, smart phone adorned fans. Hopefully somebody inside The Fonda got a shot of Kirk shredding with the Snapchat puppy filter, because that’s how freaking close they were. Some guy shouted “Spit Out The Bone!” when James began talking about their new album, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct, out now via Metallica’s own [color our world] Blackened Recordings; to which James responded: “I like that one too!”
The band played an epic greatest hits set [“One” “Master of Puppets” “For Whom The Bell Tolls” “Enter Sandman” back to back to back!], along with their latest singles: “Atlas, Rise!” “Moth Into Flame” and “Hardwired.” James’ voice was in fine form, getting as high as 2016 would allow on “Metal Militia” and burly as hell when landmines take his arms/legs/soul on “One.” Lars unleashed a Justice-era pummeling on the kit, especially on new tracks likes “Hardwired.” Kirk’s solo on “Fade to Black” sounded like a man possessed. Rob was grooving super hard during “Moth Into Flame.” Again, the caliber of these new songs, coupled with the intimate setting inside The Fonda seemed to bolster the band’s performance. It was hard to tell who was having more fun, Metallica or the fans.
If the copious amount of head banging, fist pumping, air guitar, air drumming and participatory vocals [“…it’s the last time you WILL WILL WILL WILL”] amongst the crowd were any indication, Metallica still creep across the land and kill it onstage after 30+ years like no other.
View our entire photo gallery from this show here.
SETLIST:
Breadfan (Budgie cover)
Creeping Death
Metal Militia
Sad But True
Fade to Black
Atlas, Rise!
Harvester of Sorrow
Moth Into Flame
One
Master of Puppets
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Enter SandmanEncore:
Whiskey in the Jar (traditional/Thin Lizzy cover)
Hardwired
Seek & Destroy
