Hetfield would never have imagined such a crowd in India. I’m sure Metallica wouldn’t've taken Sam Dunn’s Global Metal documentary and his relevation of the metal scene in India, for its face value, but we proved them wrong. Bangalore, together we proved our love to heavy metal and Metallica. Metal heads from different parts of India had occupied the area surrounding the venue since Saturday. Everyone was worried if the show would be conducted or not, considering the fiasco in Delhi just 2 days back. Vladivar has done a wonderful job in organizing the event, it happened without any hiccups. Gates to the grounds were opened by 4:00 PM and people moved in queues through metal detectors and security frisking into the venue. Nobody paid any attention to the rain which failed to quench an inch of excitement in any one. I saw some people making it to the grounds in wheelchairs assisted by their friends/dear ones, for them I give my metal salute! The Bangalore based band Inner Sanctum opened the stage followed by Scottish band Biffy Clyro. Both the bands perfomed amazingly but the crowd was eagerly waiting for the manifestation of the heavymetal Gods. The sea of black t-shirts erupted into cheering once Metallica boarded the stage. Organizers insisted the audience to leave space in between and adequate space from the barricades and said that Metallica would perform only when they feel that the crowd is safe. Metalheads abided. Around 8:00 the show was on. Creeping Death was the first song. The crowd’s reaction was awesome. No words to describe the overwhelming response. “So let it be written, let it be done. I’m sent here by the chosen one”. The crowd took over the ‘Die, by my hand’ part. It was an amazing experience to sing along thousands of other metal bloods. Energy of audience multiplied as they started Ride the Lightning. As I darted around air guitaring and banging my head like never before I agreed to the fact “There is someone else controlling me”. I was tranced. ”Flash before my eyes, Now its time to die, Burning in my brain, I can feel the pain” crowd recited. Then came Fuel, fuelling the already burning excitement. “Gimme fuel, gimme fire, gimme that which i desire … ooh yeah hey”. The audience were frenzied by ‘For whom the bell tolls’. “Take a look to the sky before you die, its the last time you will” I saw thousands of hands pointing up to the sky. “Stranger now are his eyes to this mystery, he hears the silence so loud” the crowd filled the following silence with what it required, you know it. The best participation from the audience was for the anthem Nothing else matters and the final portion of ‘The memory Remains’. As they started to wind up the show, the crowd forced them to play more with their desperate ‘We want more’ cries. Blackened, Enter Sandman, One, Master of Puppets and Seek & Destroy made the metalheads go crazy. Hetfield promised to visit Bangalore again soon, before calling it a day. I hope he makes his promise come true very soon. A lot of people missed Newstead in the band, but Trujillo is an ideal fit for Metallica.
Metallica – you have made the dreams of the Indian Metal community come true by your visit. Please do it more often
The memory remains … forever!
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Its always like that. When you encounter your dreams, you would be swept away by a supernatural flow……That which was blocked in the heart for long….
Good memories….