Metallica

So i've never been a very big Metallica fan, to be honest i don't think they're that great. I've listened to some of their CD's and nothig jumps out at me, personally. However, when i saw a competition to go see them live for some BBC Radio thing, i though "Sure, why not?" So i ended up winning two tickets to go and see them play to about 400 people, the day before they played the Sold Out O2 Arena gig. We got to london, and got completely lost trying to find the place, but fafter wandering around and finally deciding to ask somebody we got pointed in the right direction and found our way there. In the queue we were asked for our names and given wristbands so everyone knew we were meant to be there. I took one of my friends who loves Metallica so he got chatting away to people around us in the queue about how many times they had seen the band and what their favourite album was and all that jazz. Now i can barely name a Metallica album let alone the tracks off it, so i kept relatively quiet.

At about half 6 or something we started to walk into the venue. Whilst being nosey and looking through windows we watched as peoples bags got taken through their airport style x-ray machines and people got searched - which was suprisingly funny. It came to my go, and i wandered up and gave them my bag and trenchcoat that they put through the machine. They then told me to empty my pockets - so i took out my wallet and phone and some loose change. I proceeded to walk past the x-ray machine and collect my stuff. It wasn't until i got into the actual room after walking through many twisty corridors that i realised i actually had quite a lot of stuff in my other pockets that nbody asked about. Good security, eh?

But anyway, my friend ran off to the front so he could get the best view he could and i kicked back to the side as i was there more because it was free than because i wanted to be. Just so i didn't feel completely left out i borrowd the new album Deatyh Magnetic from my front and stuck it on my iPod and listened to it on repeat until i forced myself to like at least one song so i could sing along to something they did. We were hanging around til about 9 o'clock when they finally walked out onstage quite happily and started talking. The usual "Hey guys thanks for coming" lines and then started playing. As i previously said, i'm not much of a fan of their CD's but after hearing them play live i realised that they totally deserve the fame and fortune (maybe not the fortune) that they have collected over the years. Honestly, i was blown away.The set list was very god (That Was Just Your Life, The End Of The Line, Until It Sleeps, Broken, Beat And Scarred, Cyanide, Frantic, For Whom The Bell Tolls, The Day That Never Comes, Master Of Puppets, Blackened). I knew a couple of words to the chorus' so i started singing along, but mianly i was taking pictures - as this was the biggest band i was ever going to see in such a small venue.

What surprised me most, though was that they just looked like they were enjoying it so much. A band that can sell out a 20,000 capacity venue without a second though suddenly playing to 500? It must be a strange feeling - and yet they seemed to be having such a great time playing to so few people - though smaller gigs are always the best in my opinion. They seemed to put all their effort into it and the result was fantastic. As it was a sort of warm up gig to their new tour, they were messing around a little bit and showing off, but it was i really insightful gig. I'm still not much of a fan, but if they ever come back i may consider going. If the tickets are free, though? I'm there!