Metallica – Death Magnetic – St. Louis, MO Tour Review!
I have a confession to make my fellow rockers. It has been a long time for myself and it was my wife’s first. Now, get your mind out of the gutter I’m talking about seeing Metallica. Last night we saw the mighty Metallica in St. Louis. It was the first time in four years since the band has been there. IT WAS INDEED A LONG TIME COMING. But, in the words of James Hetfield lead vocalist…”what’s four years amongst friends?”
The night started off with two opening bands: The Sword and Down. The Sword hit the stage around seven. They had a very rough and ununpolished sound to them. I have to give them an “A” for effort. They were working very hard but like I said the sound was terrible and you couldn’t hear or make out the vocals. One saving note for the band, they did play Freya, which is made famous on the setlist of Guitar Hero 2, which by the way took me fifteen or so times to pass on the hard level!
I’m sorry to say I don’t have much to report on the group Down. Being a big fan of the lead singer Phil Anslemo’s former band Pantera, I was looking forward to his brand of no bullshit rock that he is famous for, but it wasn’t meant to be. My wife wasn’t feeling well so we spent almost the entire set in the first aid facilities. The good folks at the Scottrade Center relocated us to some seats just off the floor so my wife wouldn’t have to stand on her feet for two hours. We did walk back in as the band was exiting the stage and from the sounds of the applause, they didn’t disappoint.
Metallica opened up with the first song on the new album “Death Magnetic” entitled “This Was Just Your Life“. This opening was different. It was the first time I had ever seen Metallica use lasers in their show. The stage was set up in the middle of the arena with standing room all the way around the floor. Lasers seemed to move everywhere to the beat of the music while at times pyramiding to the top of the arena (kinda reminded me of the Luxor in Las Vegas). Lars had a revolving drum kit so everyone could watch the master on the skins. Microphones were set up all around the stage so everyone in the arena had a good shot of the band at work. The light rigging was set above the stage in four sections, with each section in the shape of a coffin like the cover of the new album, pretty cool!
I knew this particular tour was going to be special right from the beginning. Five of the ten songs on their new album were played. “That Was Just Your Life“, “End of the Line“, “Broken Beat and Scarred“, “Cyanide” and later on in the show “The Day That Never Comes” which in my opinion was the best song of the evening. I have to hand it to the guys they must be proud of their new product. In true Metallica fashion all the hits were played. I’m sorry to report I don’t have the actual setlist, but I belive these are the songs they played in no particular order in addition to the five off the new album.
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Sad but True
Wherever I May Roam
One
Master of Puppets
Fight Fire with Fire
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman
The Memory Remains
Sanitarium
Encore songs: Last Caress, Seek and Destroy, and Whiplash
What would a Metallica show be without some fire? This they had lots of it, even fire changing colors during many songs especially during the middle of “One”
The encore had a different twist at the end, and to be honest with you I’m not sure I liked it. During the last song several large black beach balls with Metallica written on the side of them were dropped from the ceiling. The band and people standing on the floor seemed to have fun batting them around, but I felt like I was at a Poison show not Metallica. Great show but come back sooner guys!!!
Metallica has dates scheduled through the first of February, 2009. If you don’t have tickets to the show yet, get yours here!
[tags]Metallica, Death Magnetic tour[/tags]
