Hailing from Los Angeles, California, the foursome consisting of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo left no fan wanting in this outing, only their second time in Colombia, the last being no less than eleven years ago in 1999.
Metallica Fans in Colombia Unite!
It was unlike any other concert in a country famed for its concerts and festivals for here the non conformists in Colombian society came together and conformed. Awkward looking parents in work clobber accompanied gawky young teenage offspring in pressed Metallica paraphernalia while hardcore metal-heads, many of which had flown and bussed in from all over the country, complete with long dark hair, denim, black leather and studs queued patiently to enter the concert zone. Suffice it to say that over 98 per cent in attendance were male and not one blonde amongst them!
Ride the Lightning: Metallica’s Song Repertoire
While James Hetfield gurned into his microphone, the image of which was broadcast over a vast screen behind the band for the benefit of those right at the back and on four separate screens placed on the lateral edges of the arena, and Lars Ulrich periodically stuck out his tongue as if punctuating thudding beats on the drums, Metallica’s song list traversed the years like a back catalogue from the conception in 1981.
The Death Magnetic
Only those fans who had been camping out in the days preceding the concert near to the Parque Simon Bolivar managed to get into the front rows. These heavy metal fans in turn enjoyed the dubious benefit of the band spitting their water over them at various intervals in the concert. These leather clad disciples knew all the words to the new offerings on the album the Death Magnetic. Most of course were here for samples from critically acclaimed albums such as Master of Puppets, …And Justice for All and the Black Album.
The Unforgiven
The concert really ignited (huge whirlpooling mosh-pits and pyrotechnics) when the band struck into the opening notes of crowd pleasing favourites such as the thudding Sad but True, One, Nothing Else Matters and Enter Sandman and they were even treated to a thrash version of Queen’s Stone Cold Crazy.
Metallica Will Return to Bogota!
With a farewell deserving of hard rockers and filled with all of the necessary expletives to keep the fans happy, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich promised that his band would be returning to Bogota once again and sooner than the eleven years it took this time.
Maybe they will be back, but even the most impartial concert goers could see that the metal outfit’s farewell seemed final in its length and attention. But for now, the 30,000 metal fans that packed into the park will be more than satisfied with the two hours of hardcore, thrash and speed metal that was juggernauted into Bogota last night via 18 songs and over two hours.
Richard McColl - I am a freelance writer from deepest darkest London but for the past 10 years or so I have been maintaining my extended "writing break" in ...
