When we arrived I was glad to see the standing area (which I was in) wasn’t very big, and the dopest thing was that the stage was in the middle (not being an arena aficionado, I hadn’t experienced this before). Looking around I noticed the lighting rigs were in the shape of coffins echoing the cover of Death Magnetic, just thinking that it was a nice touch (not expecting what was to come later).

They arrive on stage to lasers, fire balls and the finale tune from the good the bad and the ugly. Coffin’s descending from the arena roof, like some alien war ships sent to do rock battle with the crowd. When these mother ships were lowered (they also pivoted out towards the crowd), the gig took on a whole other feel. It became an intimate show, like you were watching them for the first time in the back of some small bar. What I missed out on with the spectacular of the shows back in the day, was made up for by this feeling, that and being 5 in from the front, made you forget the other thousands of fans sitting around and behind you.

The gig climaxed with hundreds of varying sized Metallica branded beach balls being dropped on the crowed. The only disappointment of the evening (apart from how shit the camera on my iphone is, which I already knew) was the fact that I was so far in the pit, and I didn’t even get one injury, nothing (not that I really wanted one, you understand) I guess the fans are getting old. It did mean I could watch the show in peace, the only thing I had to put up with was the people around me farting… people should really show some consideration in such a small confined place ;) lol.

Long Reign Metallica, they definitely still have it!