Metallica blew the roof off a sold-out Schottenstein Center Sunday night.
After opening acts from The Sword and Down, the lights went out in the arena and the crowd was thrown into frenzy for the arrival of metal’s most epic band.
Metallica’s cover of “Ecstasy of Gold,” originally from the movie “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” came over the speakers and the band took the stage. Without hesitation, the band jumped immediately into “That Was Just Your Life” and “End of the Line,” two songs from their new album “Death Magnetic.” The crowd ate it up and sang along with every word.
After a brief pause, lead singer James Hetfield gave the fans exactly what they had been waiting for. “Here comes some old stuff,” he said. The crowd erupted as the band began playing “Creeping Death,” a crowd favorite at every live show. During the breakdown in the middle of the song, fans were pumping their fists and chanting in unison. What’s the best way to describe the sight of 20,000 rabid fans chanting “Die?” Pure evil.
The set list included classics like “Enter Sandman,” “Sad but True,” “One,” “Master of Puppets” and “Nothing Else Matters.” The band also played other songs from its new album, including “Cyanide” and its new single, “The Day That Never Comes.”
The band fed off the crowd’s energy all night and delivered a stunning performance. The lasers, pyrotechnics and theatrics were all amazing. Hetfield’s voice sounded as good as I’ve ever heard it. Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett delivered face-melting solos in almost every song. Drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Rob Trujillo both gave virtuoso performances.
The only complaints were from fans who were upset the band did not play “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” or “Fade To Black.” However, the complaints were minimal after the band wrapped up the show with “Seek and Destroy.”
Dave Dalessandro, an electrical engineering major, said he was blown away by the show. “I [have] never seen anything like it,” Dalessandro said. “I could [not] have asked for anything more.”
The band expressed its gratitude to the energetic crowd after the show. “Who thinks we should come to Columbus more than every four years?” Ulrich asked. “We’ll be seeing you again very soon.”
Jason Cocca can be reached at [email protected].
