James Hetfield (Taken on my BlackBerry)

After more than 16 hours of traveling, I arrived in Nashville with just enough time to drop off our luggage, grab our tickets and get downtown for the Metallica show at the Sommet Center. My brother had been waiting in line for the floor and was standing inside the security area awaiting my arrival.

Even though we entered 40 minutes after the doors opened, we walked straight down to the floor and straight up to the stage barricade on the south side of the arena. We were feet away from where the band(s) entered, and from Metallica’s “Guitar World” [as the writing on the hard travel cases implied]. The stage was about 5 feet on the other side of the barricade. We were banking on them putting a microphone there…and we were right.

A French band, gojira, opened at 7, followed by lamb of god at about 7:45. Both were heavy bands, but the audio for their performances was lacking – at least from our vantage point.

Before I proceed, I should note that this was my 4th Metallica show. I saw them at Starwood Amphitheater in ‘98, “Cunning Stunts” in Gaylord in ‘99 and the 2004 St Anger tour in Gaylord. All were uniquely awesome. All had set my expectations very highly.

The show didn’t disappoint.

While I could ramble on all they did, how awesome it sounded, that we caught pics from Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield and that we were feet from each member of the band, I’ll refrain and let you check it out on YouTube.

Here’s the Setlist:

1. That Was Just Your Life
2. The End of the Line
3. Creeping Death
4. Holier Than Thou
5. One
6. Broken, Beat and Scarred
7. Cyanide
8. Sad But True
9. Turn the Page
10. All Nightmare Long
11. The Day that Never Comes
12. Master of Puppets
13. Battery
14. Nothing Else Matters
15. Enter Sandman
16. Encore: Damage Case (Motorhead cover with Lemmy Kilmister)
17. Encore: Too Late, Too Late (Motorhead cover with Lemmy Kilmister)
18. Seek & Destroy

I will say that I expected a ton of pyro…which they had [including flames that changed color in sync with the music]. and that they had a LOT of lasers.

I’ll also note that Lemmy [of Motorhead fame] played to songs with the Metallica – which was awesome. Also, Wynonna Judd is a Metallica fan – she was in the VIP area beside the stage in “Guitar World” along side of Matt Sorum (drummer for Velvet Revolver and many other bands…including Lemmie’s).