METALLICA LIVE AT GILLETTE STADIUM IN FOXBOROUGH

By Joe Perusse

Metallica’s M72 World Tour, with a no repeat weekend, started the North American leg of this summer’s swing at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro MA. Why am I only writing about the Sunday show you may ask? Well, when I bought the tickets for both of the Metallica shows in November of 2022 I had no way of knowing my oldest son Garrett would take Laura as his bride out in Ohio on that Saturday. Doing something with my kids is probably one of the few things to take precedence over a show close to home.

I checked if anything was going on the day after the wedding and when Garrett said no, his brother Jagger, my frequent concert companion, and I looked for a flight to get us back in time. To make an already special weekend even better Metallica put on an amazing show. I have heard from people who were there both nights it was the better of the two. For me it definitely was.

Metallica kicked off the set with a trio of old school songs, “Whiplash”, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and one of my favorites “Ride the Lightning”. James Hetfield (Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar) who celebrated his birthday the day before, along with yours truly, said his hellos to Boston. Commenting he didn’t even know anymore what album it was off but was sure the crowd did “Until It Sleeps” followed.

Spreading out across the circular stage it was now time for a drum change as Lars Ulrich (Drums) shifted the kits positioning. The one mosh pit that I could see going ramped up for two songs off the new album 72 Seasons, “Lux AEterna” and “Screaming Suicide”. Hetfield and Ulrich left the stage as Rob Trujillo (Bass) and Kirk Hammett (Lead Guitar) took over for their nightly doodle. Tonight was quite a surprise as Trujillo also took over vocals as the duo covered Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”. They also teased the audience
with the opening riff of The Shandells’ “Dirty Water”, playing to the Boston audience.

“Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” featured a video of insane asylum mannequins playing air instruments. During “Wherever I May Roam”, Trujillo took to a small circular platform and roamed across the heads of the fans in the Snake Pit, the stage’s inner circle. Following another drum move the band all stayed near each other for a killer metal instrumental “The Call of Ktulu” Hetfield shouted out former bassist Cliff Burton, who died in a tour bus accident in 1986, saying “We miss you Cliff”.

The mammoth sized power ballad “The Unforgiven” showcases both Hetfield’s vocals and guitar playing. Next up was the longest song Metallica has played in concert “Inamorata” prompting Hetfield to let the crowd know they may be old but they still kick ass. The drums moved for the final time of the evening and “Blackened”, also the title of the band’s signature whisky, was next. The first pyrotechnics of the night appeared for “Moth Into Flame”.

The band took a short break before returning for a two song encore. With the sound of machine gun fire and bombs dropping “One” also took full advantage of the pyrotechnics. Closing the night out, just as Mariano Rivera used to do, was “Enter Sandman” which also released the giant beach balls into the crowd.

The only negative on the evening was that weather affected the beginning of the night. Ice Nine Kills, scheduled to go on first had their set completely cut and Five Finger Death Punch had their set shortened to 30 minutes. Let’s face it though, the people were there to see the Mighty Metallica and they surely delivered.

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