[Mike]

Ok - for all u Metallica fans & ppl interested in hearing about Reading, here's a small review.

The bands we saw: American Rejects, The Used, Good Charlottes. All sucked!!

Sum41 were a bit better - what you'd expect, but got a fairly decent crowd reaction. They also did a few covers at the end, covering the Master of Puppets solo & chorus to get us in the mood - sounded pretty good too.

I didn't like system of a down. They did a few funky things & theres no denying the lead singer has a unique voice - but halfway thru the set we were more interested in the huge bottle war that was going on (we were quite a way back at this point) - The air was thick with plastic bottles that were being thrown.

Anyhow - when Metallica came on, we decided to get alot closer.

The intro was the Sympony played on S&M - Track 1. Followed by the intro to battery. The band hit the stage when the guitar came in on battery - & the crowd went wild!! Awesome way to start the show... then came Master of Puppets - the full version!. This is so amazing live!! - the melodic bit in the middle, followed by the guitar solo just ripped thru me.

Then James dedicated the next song to all the fans who'd stuck with them for the last 20 years (longer) - Harvestor of Sorrow. I didn't expect them to play this one so early. Then they dipped into MOP again, playing Sanitarium - an amazing ballad & sounded even better live. After this, the setlist gets hazy - I'll try & remember it all:

For whom the bell Tolls - Started this by introducing the new bass player, & he played this funky solo with Lars. It was obvious which song they would break into from the effects on the bass, but this is definately one of their best tracks live!!!!

Even the new stuff sounded ok live - Some good riffage going on, even if it is a bit heavy with a lack of solos - but better than I expected & 50 times better than System of a Down.

They played 2 tracks off their first album - Kill em All. Seek & Destroy & No Remorse. Its amazing how these have stood up (1981) & r still amoung their best sounding tracks. I was blown away by these 2 songs.

Their was a real comedy moment when James & the new Bass player took a brief rest. Lars gave Kirk the drumsticks & Lars had a go at the guiter. They sounded a bit rough on 'Nothing else matters' but made a better job of it with 'Am I evil' (Just the intro's). They were then throwing their instruments at each other to see who could catch them.

Then of course, they did playing 'Nothing else matters' - a real lighter moment. This was one of the few songs the crowd new all the words (being off the black album) & was really atmospheric.

Sad but True also went down really well, another one which sounds great live!! James started this sort of acopello & the crowd took over.

When the band started Blackened, thats when the pyro started - & there was no stingyness on it. Fire at the back of the stage all thru blackened, then pyro in creeping death, enter Sandman, & virtually a whole firework show for the start of one.

One & Enter Sandman were the final encores - the crowd going wild for Sandman. Then the band stayed on stage at the end, saying thanks & throwing picks & stuff into the crowd, & Lars 'gave us our christmas present early' by announcing a December date they were playing the UK. This after getting all sentimental but saying they'd startd their European tour in the UK with 'that secret gig' & it was a perfect place to end it.

This show blew me away - it was amazing, they are so good live & listening to some of the guitar work & solo's sounds so much more out of this world when u r there. James' vocals were also on top form.

here is the setlist in probably not the right order as I can remember - I might have missed some out. It lasted for 2 hours.

Battery
Master of Puppets
Harvestor of Sorrow
Sanitarium
Bass solo intro
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Sad But True
Frantic
No Remorse
Seek & Destroy
St Anger
Blackened
Fuel
Am I Evil intro
Nothing Else Matters
Creeping Death
One
Enter Sandman

[Mike]

This is the official setlist:
Battery
Master of Puppets
Harvester of Sorrow
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Frantic
Sad But True
St. Anger
No Remorse
Seek and Destroy
Blackened
-----------------
Fuel
Nothing Else Matters
Creeping Death
----------------
One
Enter Sandman

[Mousebounce]

Looks good! They played a lot of great songs!!!

[Yvonne]

Ah cool songs by Metallica! Sounds like a good show!

[RyanBounce04]

Awesome Mike!! I get shivers down my spine when Kirk plays the guitar solo in Master Of Puppets! I even get teary eyed.... That is a work of art... Plus, I am going to go see them in Dallas this spring! I can't wait!

BOUNCE,
Ryan