Metallica night one masterpost! 🔥
They didn't have a separate entrance for the early ticket holders so we walked down a huge row of security guards holding safety ribbons to mark the way, like some kind of heavy metal royalty
The whole arena was doing a perfectly executed continuous wave around and around for a long time before anyone came up, I saw a lot of people taking videos of it but haven't seen any yet
The Polish girl in front of me did her eyeliner in the Metallica M shape!
Everyone was singing and rocking out to It's a Long Way to the Top!
The guys behind me got too excited and prematurely started the Ecstacy of Gold singalong. Twice.
We had Lars' drumkit case in front of us and there was a sticker on it saying "TURN THE FUCKING SNARES ON", lol - Couldn't take a picture of it so you'll just have to believe me (Shout out to the guy behind me who went OOOOOH, SNARE! when the techs started assembling stuff)
James' Cliff shirt! The smoke machine was between us but it's visible!
DIE! DIE! DIE!
James: Let me introduce my other friend, Kirk Hammett! - Kirk: 👋😄
Rob came over to our end of the stage a lot even when the band was placed at the other one, we love our kazoo player! Also super cool hairdo!
"Me likey? ... Me likey!" - James Alan Hetfield, age 62
James' lovely heartfelt speeches 🥹
James' YEEAAAHHHEHAHHH with reverb (I think he was having fun with it because he kept doing it for a bit)
"This one's from the album called Death Magnetic! You got it? ..... I don't got it... Somebody stole mine :("
WE GOT FUCKING ORION! When I tell you, my little bassist heart churned and I teared up
We got Battery! A personal favourite
Harvester of sorroooooow 🎵
Nothing Else Matters shortly after Orion... Fine, time to tear up again
Everybody was doing the phone flashlight lighter and hand wave thing to Nothing Else Matters, it was an amazing vibe
Rob introducing Kirk as his "expert backup singer" before their doodle
They did a Pokolgép song! One of the original Hungarian metal bands
Rob saying some very sweet things about the country then going "...and the food is good, right, Kirk? 👀" - I so badly want to know the backstory behind that. Kirk Hammett's 2026 gulyás incident?
Rob egged the audience on to sing the lalala part of Memory Remains for a really long time, great mood setting. Some people were even singing it as we were walking outside
For the first bit we could see Rob and James perfectly, and Lars is obviously tied to his kit (figuratively, I don't think you can do that legally) but the top of Kirk's fluffy little head kept popping in and out of my vision like a soft grey sunset you can't quite grasp
When Kirk finally properly came over to our side I lost it and screamed KIIIIIIIIIIRK! I assumed he didn't hear or just ignored it (which is fine!) but as he turned around to walk away he turned back and did a very comedic double take like 🤨? I guess he might have heard, lmao
The reports are true, you can hear Rob's backing vocals completely clearly and Kirk is... making an attempt, god bless him
James came over to our side and kept making James Noises (the usual YEEAAHHEAHHHs and EEEEEWGHs and the likes) and pausing to let the audience reciprocate, then went "Good! You know all the lyrics! :D"
Rob came down to the railing to play! A bit far from us but we saw the enthusiastic waving!
There was an older (50s?) guy there having the time of his life with his daughter who (the dad) raised his hand when James asked who's here for the first time and James went "What took you so long??" then declared this happened because they don't come here enough. I nodded in agreement.
I got a nod of acknowledgement from both Rob and Lars! Rhythm section approved!
Kirk had three funky shirts: a snake patterned greenish one, a MexiKen shirt with a Danny Trejo Barbie graphic (because of course), and a cutesy graphic one with the Kool-Aid man saying "Don't drink the Kool-Aid!"
I made eye contact with Kirk! I grinned at him with all the love in my heart, though I'm not sure how much he noticed during playing
The speed at which Lars makes silly faces while drumming could power a smaller town. He was extra goofy when we could see him up close after they all switched stage sides
Lars doing that hyped up childish arms close to his body air fast air box move during Master of Puppets?? You know what I mean? I don't know else do describe it, it was so cute, not sure who had a better time, him or us
Kirk squatted down at the edge of the stage to hand a jacket I assume someone threw on stage to a roadie and James announced "Kirk is going to the toilet!" Kirk whipped his head around to look at James like 🤨 (he looked exactly like this emoji) and James said "They (the audience) have all the pictures!" and Kirk grinned and hid his face behind both of his hands and shook his head in pretend embarrassment, it was. So fucking cute. You guys. I was all 🥰🥰🥰, not sure if anyone caught that on camera but I consider myself lucky for having seen it so up close
Lars called a (little-ish, at least at my age) girl on stage to do the TSS TSS TSS TSS for Seek and Destroy and gave her a hug! We all clapped and cheered for her
Lars started over dramatically beckoning the overhead camera with his finger, closed his eyes, and put up a finger to say "Wait... ☝️" before finally hitting the last two cymbal hits of the song, it was so cute and goofy
Kirk got mildly bonked by a beach ball, as he does
The two guys assigned as Lars' Ball Deterrent Crew looked positively panicked, it was so funny, thank you guys for your service
The lovely ladies in front of me who helped me squeeze in to the rail and shared their water with me got a stick from Lars, and some tall dude tried to snatch it out of the woman's hand, to which Lars shook his finger at him and told him off like a disappointment father. Love you Lars, protector of the people.
When they were walking off James gave this whole heartfelt little speech, after which Kirk turned to the mic and just went... BUDAPEST! YEAAAAH! BUDAPEST! YEAAAAH! BUDAPEST! YEAAAAH! like four times? With his hand in the air and a grin, I wasn't counting, but it cracked me up, what a goober. He did do a short proper goodbye too!
As they were walking off someone spotted a guy with a banner saying it was his birthday a few days ago and James did a really silly rendition of only the to you parts of happy birthday, lol
It was an amazing, lovely time! They played great and really know how to engage with the audience, James and Lars especially
I found Rob's pick on the ground from when he was throwing them and after establishing everyone around me already had a souvenir I got to keep it!
Special shout-out to the crowd around me who were the best people, two dudes windmill headbanging almost the whole time, the lovely ladies who helped me out with whom I had a short chat after the gig, the two guys a bit behind and next to me who were jumping with joy, singing along, and also headbanging the whole time, and the aforementioned dad who took too long who just looked like he was having the best night of his life along with his daughter! It really is a special experience to look around and see grins and people having the best time and cheering each other on because of some old guys on a stage
I think that's all the specifics I remember now from my notes, if anything else occurs to me I'll let you know!
