The Boys are Back in Town

Yeah I know, I just saw them last December. I scored a photo pass for their hometown show, and it was awesome. I realized that I would not be able to top this adventure, so when I heard that they'd be playing in Sacramento a year later, I decided that perhaps I could pass on it. Heck, the tickets were $80, and in this economy...

Plus the tickets went on sale in March (for a December show?!), just a few months after I saw 'em. I didn't need to go again, and as the responsible adult that I have become, I regretfully decided to pass.

Then I started hearing about it on the radio. Then friends started talking about going. Then I realized that it was inevitable. I've seen them play in both a sold-out stadium and a small theater. I've seen them play an all acoustic show. I've seen them play with the San Francisco Symphony. And yes, I had no choice but to see them play in Sacramento. I was off to see Metallica in concert... for the 7th time.

It didn't come without a bit of adventure though, which I'll recap briefly: As I mentioned, tickets went on sale nearly a year ago, so by the time I jumped on the bandwagon I was left with the scraps of nosebleeds. I was willing to settle, since I just saw 'em not that long ago, so I grabbed two.

A few days before the show, the sidekick that was supposed to tag along decided he would be unable to attend. I scrambled to find a replacement, but was unable to do so on short notice. I had other pals sitting elsewhere, but I was unhappy about having to eat the cost of a second ticket. So... cutting to the chase (and leaving out a side story of an attempted scamming), I swapped the two nosebleed tickets to a scalper for a single floor ticket. Expensive and unfortunate, but damnit, I was gonna enjoy myself at this show. And I did.

The beautiful (and brilliant) thing about this tour is that the stage is set up right in the center of the arena, meaning that even the worst tickets in the house aren't that far away from the stage. It's a perfect setup for a high-energy band like Metallica, as they run from side to side of the 360 degree stage, surrounded by a sea of fans. Plus, a floor ticket gets you amazingly close to the action without having to be battered and bruised through the opening acts just to guarantee a money spot (I almost didn't survive trying to see Pantera back in high school... I gave up after 2 opening acts because I decided I valued my life over being in the front row). A great setup, and a great show.

The setlist was basically the same as when I saw them a year ago... unfortunate, but being that it is the same tour I can't really complain. And I certainly don't mean to... heavy on the old stuff, with the new album mixed in here and there (a plus in my book). Only one song from the Load/Reload albums (Fuel), which personally I find regrettable because I liked those albums, but I suppose many purists would prefer to forget them. Nothing from St. Anger. A cover of Breadfan and the speed-metal classic Fight Fire With Fire were really the only strayings from the "must plays".

Personally, I like to hear the more obscure and "fan favorite" songs, but given that it's a sold out arena show I can't complain that they stuck to a textbook performance, which is really what the whole show felt like. These guys put on a damn good, high energy show, and the audience was fairly decent as compared to previous Sacramento concerts that I've been to... but last year's Oakland show seemed like they were more excited and having more fun. It was at the start of the tour, and it was their home town, but this show didn't quite have the same energy. Still, an excellent performance. Even though Hetfield is looking a little old these days, they could still kick any other band's ass when it comes to a live rock show. Oh, and I managed to nab a Robert Trujillo guitar pick that was tossed into the crowd. It makes a fine companion for the Jason Newstead pick I caught back at the '99 show with the SF Symphony.

I took my new toy along for a test drive, and the pictures weren't bad for a cell phone camera. The video turned out pretty damn good too, although the audio that accompanied it left something to be desired. Here's a little clip of Fuel, although you can barely make it out...

Hopefully they don't come through town again too soon... because I could really use a break, but know that I'm going to be unable to refuse another performance. Hello, my name is Duff, and I have a problem...