We were able to once again go on the road and see the mighty Metallica in Grand Rapids last Monday (http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/metallica/2009/van-andel-arena-grand-rapids-mi-13d739c9.html). We had seen them in Indy a few weeks before and I thought the show and band were "back in the saddle" so to speak. Before these two shows, I had last seen them new years eve at the Hard Rock Casino in Vegas in 2003 and they seemed a bit tired and distant (never had seen that before) and then saw two shows on the St. Anger tour and definitely thought they were not comfortable onstage and they seemed to be going thru the motions a bit. Sad; very much a bummer, this was something I had never experienced with these guys on any level. They always came thru and never phoned it in; never I say. Music has been a intense influence and fabric of my life since I bought Alice Cooper's "Schools Out" lp when I was 11 years old. Black Sabbath's "Vol. 4" was next and it has been a amazing journey I would not trade for a BILLION dollars! So naturally when I first heard the guys song "Hit The Lights" on Metal Blade's first compilation way back in the summer of 1982; it was all over for me, I was there for their incredible ride. The production was very bad, but you could hear something that had really never been done on record before. Just sheer intensity, fast as shit playing and pissed off singing. They had captured the punk quickness and anger, then loaded it up with Marshall stacks and some crazy low end. Thus you have the initial seeds of what would change the landscape of music, the metal genre and millions of peoples lives.
The show in GR had been sold out for months; I mean three solid months in advance. It had been five years since they had been in GR and the demand had not waned a bit in the intervening time. We missed the opening act of Volbeat who are from Denmark (land o' Lars) and I would think Lars' choice for support as he is a fellow Dane. They are more punk and rockabilly than heavy metal and the singer definitely has a Glenn Danzig vocal sound; nice and big. I wonder how they went down, forgot to ask the Metallica crew I know. Next was Lamb Of God from Richmond, Virginia and super, duper heavy! We watched a few songs and they seemed to be rocking the crowd for the most part. Ten years ago and I would have watched the whole set, but it all seems a bit forced and contrived for me at this point. I tell myself it's not because I am getting older; my tastes have improved (LOL). Metallica always have a huge say in who supports them and I think this will always be. They have had some amazing acts with them;Kyuss, Suicidal Tendencies, Corrosion Of Conformity, The Cult, Queensryche, Machine Head, The Sword and many other worthy acts that deserved and got mass exposure. They have no problem giving props to new acts that kick ass and the older acts that influenced them (the; Garage Days, Inc. cd, is a massive tribute and financial support (to most of the acts covered; I doubt Black Sabbath, Queen and Bob Seeger need the royalties) to 18 acts they cover on the cd).
So Lamb Of God finish and we find our seats and they are pretty much right there about 15 rows from stage and I thank Kirk again for killer seats that Lidia can see them (she is a shortie in height; NOT stature, she is a giant there!!). There is always a palpable buzz that permeates the air right before the guys hit the stage and commence their throw down. It is parts excitement, anticipation, the unknown and the scary. A lethal mix for a amazing 2 hour plus pummeling. I have been to thousands of shows in my life and there is nothing quite as organic and amazing as the run up to the start of the intro music and then the start. It is nothing short of the start of a drag race followed by mach 4 speed the rest of the way and it does leave most beat, sore and the happiest they have been in months or years.
The show for this tour is about 18 songs per show that rumble like a freight train but glides as precisely as a world class figure skater. They have cornered the market on heaviness but apply this with a intensely crafted velvet hammer. They have these incredible paradoxes in heaviness and quiet, precision and break neck speed, that no other band has come close to interpreting this and thus they seem to own it outright. The current cd and following tour show them at the top of their game once again, as they reclaim the summit in this barren of genres. So it was this second viewing of the "Death Magnetic Tour" that I was able to focus on the set and the delivery. They started this night's set with "That Was Just Your Life" off the new cd. It is the perfect song to launch the evening's festivities. The song basically jumps jumps off and never looks back. This new cd had the intensity that was so organic in the first decade of their existence. Everything that was wrong with St. Anger has now been turned back into the lifeblood that made and now again makes them the band that crushed, cares, knows what pains you, is your soapbox for the shit all around and in you; just the best and most refreshing slap in your face you could ever want or experience. James has found that space where "Battery", "Master Of Puppets", "Shortest Straw" and so many others have come from. That space had been abandoned or deserted either purposely or unintentionally; but what ever drove that action, ended up nowhere near what the Metallica juggernaut produced or stood for until that cd and movie. James is back on his game lyrically and you can feel it in "That Was Just Your Life", "Broken, Beat & Scarred" and the war inspired "The Day That Never Comes". They capture the daily struggle, the daily grind and the fact that we all have and deserve our dreams. They sing about the evil in the world and the fact that we all must not roll over to them and we must always fight the fight. I don't see the CEO's of aig or citigroup, bush or cheney listening to Metallica for inspiration or a bit of insight. They were and always will be a band "of the people" and some won't ever get or relate to this. Second song was "The End Of The Line" which went into the epic "For Whom The Bell Tolls" and then into the legendary "The Four Horsemen". Six new songs were thrown down and were thoroughly consumed by everyone in sight. This is a testament to the power of "Death Magnetic" as most performers trot out 2 or 3 of the newbies when they tour; usually the single everyone knows and then couple other new ones so the fans can get a beer or go to the bathroom. That doesn't happen at a Metallica show, leave at the risk of missing R'n'R history. Get your beers and pee before they start is what I tell Lidia!!
I saw Big Mick Hughes after the show. It has been quite awhile since I last saw and talked to him. Saw him from afar at Bonnaroo 2008 and Indy in September. He was one of the first people I met from the Metallica entourage back in 1988 and have had many a killer experiences with him. He is and always will be Metallica's front of house sound man. Truly the most talented sound man I have ever heard (you can add Stan Doty of Wilco to that tiny list!!) and have heard him mix over 100 of their shows. In tiny clubs, soccer arenas, velodromes, racetracks, open fields,etc..and he has never had even an average mix. Just dials it in immediately and lets it rip thru the crowd all set long. He is also quite the charming English bloke with a ton of great stories. So needless to say I hit him up for a few in Grand Rapids. I ask him how the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame show was with Jason returning to play with the band. Big Mick and Jason seemed to have a close relationship when he was in the band. Both are great guys and very knowledgeable of their crafts and music. I have sat in many a time and was entertained and educated by both. So Mick said it was great to see Jason again and they were able to talk for a bit. He also said something that I completely had forgot; Jason was in Metallica for fifteen years. That is a huge chunk of time for anyone. I also asked him about the internet rumor that took on a life of it's own right after Jason reunited for the one show. This is the one that had Metallica inviting Jason back for the rest of the "Death Magnetic" world tour to play bass on the old songs he recorded with them and Robert would do the new songs from the past two cd's. He said this was total rumor and that was never, ever mentioned or brought up. He knew nothing about the rumor also. He also stated that the tour will roll on thru November 2010; that's another full year! I asked him about the week's before Rock and Roll hall Of fame show at Madison Square Garden. The guys played with Lou Reed, Ozzy Osbourne and Ray Davies; performing each one's hits and being their backing band! Mick said that they only got one hour to check and rehearse with the three artists. This was the result of U2 coming in and taking over. He said they have a ton of people in their entourage and just naturally fill up and take over the space. Lou was not the nicest guy and I have heard that many times. He is very NYC (ie: dick) and the first thing he told the band was they were way TOO LOUD!! Too much, telling Metallica they are too loud. They performed "White Light/White Heat" and the seminal "Sweet Jane" with old Lou. I guess during the rehearsal, there was a mention of doing a rare Velvet Underground or Metallica song and Lou stated he only knows and plays his songs....again; TOO MUCH!! Ozzy was up next and Mick said he thinks this is the first time Ozzy played a show without either Black Sabbath or the Ozzy Osbourne band. He said it was a bit strange, but ok. Next was Ray Davies of the Kinks and a huge fav of mine. They did "You Really Got Me" into "All Day And All Of The Night" and he was his charming self onstage and at rehearsal. Mick liked him a lot and I think this is definitely one guy who you would love to have a pint with! We went backstage to drop off some clothes Lidia had made for Kirk and James children. James was digging Lid's designs when he met her in Indy. I really think you should get a hold of "Death Magnetic" and then get yourself to a show, it could very well change your life as it has done many, many times before. I am always up for taking people to their first Metallica experience; weak need not apply!
