With Limp Bizkit having pulled out of Download
2003, rumours abound were a major metal act would step in. But who? The
penultimate week leading to the festival NME announced Metallica
would be appearing on the smaller Scuzz Stage. The festival promoters
plaintively denied this the next day. End of story. Or was it?
Was it coincidence the Bay Area metal veterans had
flown into the UK merely days before Download? Was it coincidence that the
band announced to perform, 'Apocalyptica,' had a mid afternoon 45
minute set - a stage length rivaled only by headliners NOFX. Surely
it HAD to be Metallica. Things were twisted when Apocalyptica, a real band
who plays metal on string instruments, announced via their website they
would be appearing.
Believe the hype or raise a stiff upper lip. That was
the question for the 40,000 or so punters on Sunday. I along with about
12,000 others leaked our way into a tent made for 8,000. Excusing myself
through the tide of skin and sweat I could finally see the stage.
Well I'll be! The biggest motherfuckin' speaker stacks
you ever gonna fuckin' see! From top to bottom, left to right, each and
every speaker emblazoned with the Metallica logo. The Lars Ulrich
customized Tama drumkit anchored at the centre of a welcomingly intimidating
stage setup. Intimidating because the god dam speakers and amps were so
dangerously large and close. It was going to be fast and loud, that much we
knew. We just had to wait...
After a good fifteen minutes of teasing soundchecking,
a demented looking Lars Ulrich bobbled onstage behind his kit. One by one
the rest followed - guitar king Kirk Hammett, new bassist Rob
Trujilo and beaming frontman James Hetfield. Their welcome was
staggering - a genuine call to gods for mercy. Blissful fans were
complementarily treated to an oldies set. Opening with Blackened before
pummeling through No Remorse, Harvester of Sorrow, and the awesome Welcome
Home (Sanitarium).
Metallica were clearly enjoying the occasion, James
Hetfield constantly grinning cheekily. Kirk Hammett baiting the crowd and
Rob Trujilo humping across the stage with a wide faced grimace-cum-smile.
Lars Ulrich looking older and thinner appeared 'in the zone,' his tongue
hissed at intervals while he lashed at his kit, his eyes blood curdled and
vein poppingly strained. Being so close was a surreal feeling. The
surroundings were relatively intimate for Metallica but despite being an
8,000 capacity tent, it felt like an 800 capacity one, in a strange way.
The PA markedly pissed on the Main Stage, where
Evanescence were courting thousands of oblivious 'would be here'
fans.
The final half of this brief hour-long set was even
better. High-octane newies Frantic and St Anger was smattered with golden
oldies Sad But True and a violent Master of Puppets. An encore of the
classics Creeping Death and Damage Inc wrapped things up. The set lasted an
eternal hour while you watched it in awe, but was over before one knew how
to make sense of it all.
When one stopped to it all made sense. No ballads, a
curious loophole in songs not played: Enter Sandman...One...Nothing Else
Matters...Fuel...Seek and Destroy...where art thou? But that wasn't the
point. Metallica sweetened those lucky enough to be there, and let the rest
of their UK fans know that they're back, and that there is still life in the
old battery.
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