Having Fourth of the July in the middle of the work week is never something to be desired.
So for the groggy, unfortunate souls that had to work Wednesday morning, July 5 wasn’t necessarily a day to look forward to.
The exception to this of course were the 50,000 plus who kept the festivities going by heading over to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium to catch metal icons Metallica in the midst of its “WorldWired World Tour.”
Perhaps in grievance for our collective hangovers, mother nature graced Orlando with it’s first dry summer day in nearly a month, which made for a balmy but breezy late afternoon and evening leading up to the show.
Playlist: Listen to every song Metallica played at Orlando's Camping World Stadium on July 5
Most fans were still making their way into the stadium when Danish band Volbeat who opened the show. It was here that fans got their first glimpse of Metallica's massive stadium stage set up.
Roughly as wide as the field itself, the stage supported an equally long LCD screen that towered roughly five stories above the field. The screens were flanked with the letters M and A from left to right respectively in typical Metallica font. The catwalk looped out in front of the stage encasing what was called the ‘Snake Pit,” making for a secluded spot for Metallica’s diehard fans. This all sat camped under an appropriately over-sized speaker set up, which in some cases were held up by large cranes.
With shows like this, Metallica has shown it is the U2 of metal–in that its stage show and set up are simply unlike any other in the business.
This elaborate setup was not only graced by Volbeat, but also largely popular Huntington Beach, California native Avenged Sevenfold. In what is surely one of the few daytime or opening sets the band has played in the last few years, Avenged Sevenfold played a hit friendly show and was very engaged with the rowdy Orlando crowd. In an hour set, the band treated Camping World Stadium to some of its more popular tracks, with songs like “Hail to the King,” “Nightmare” and “Afterlife.”
With an almost full moon poking through the a bruising dark sky, the lights went off and Metallica was ready to hit the stage. The hard rock legends came out in true hero fashion with a clip of Clint Eastwood from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly accompanied by the movie's famous western style theme song.
Through this, Metallica arrived to the stage in a rapture of fireworks and lights. The larger than life LCDs came to life with an eruption flipping back and forth between live footage and mechanical animations. The video presentation was similar to the state-of-the-art U2 show we saw at Raymond James in June.
The 80s rockers sounded better than ever, but now have the tools to create a stage show befitting of its massive and loyal following. With a butt in almost every available seat of Camping World Stadium, Metallica roared through a setlist that featured fan favorites as well as new material off of its 2016 album, Hard Wired…to Self-Destruct.
The first half of the set featured most of these newer songs with classic hits like "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Unforgiven" sprinkled in between. The latter of the two songs was home for one of the neatest moments of the night, with lead singer James Hetfield jumping back and forth between a distorted vocal, acoustic guitar setup and a more grungy electric guitar.
The entire band seemed as if it hasn't lost a step since originally forming in 1981. Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, bassist Robert Trujillo, drummer Lars Ulrich and Hetfield were constantly on the move while on stage, remaining animated and interactive with fans throughout the two-and-a-half hour show. Whether it was fans moshing in the masses to songs like "Moth of Flame" or simply standing in awe while being treated to a spellbinding green laser display during "Nothing Else Matters," the band constantly reminded those in attendance why, after 30 years of touring, they can still sell out football stadiums.
Metallica, which released its first album Kill Em All in 1983, hasn't lost its edge. If anything, age has given them the perspective and appreciation to make this metal show one-of-a-kind.
"We don't give a shit who you are," James Hetfield told fans halfway through the show thanking the sold out crowd of people from all ages, races, and backgrounds, "you're here."
Listen to a playlist featuring songs from Metallica's set here, and see more photos (plus a setlist) below.
Setlist
Hardwired
Atlas, Rise!
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Fuel
The Unforgiven
Now That We're Dead
Moth Into Flame
Wherever I May Roam
Halo on Fire
I Disappear
Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)
Hit the Lights
Sad but True
One
Master of Puppets
Fade to Black
Seek & Destroy
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Fight Fire With Fire
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman
