Metallica at Wembley - the memory remains

On Saturday, I was invited to see Metallica play live at Wembley on the Sunday evening. The ticket was for the standing section; which is a very different experience to being seated. I went with a girl (C) - who I had previously met three or four times - and some of her friends. C and I were determined to get as far forward as possible and so we did not drink and just made our way forward during the 3rd support band (HIM), who were rubbish and before the concert started.

We started off about 8-9 people back from the barrier with a reasonable view, but a few too many heads in the way. As the first hour of the concert passed the physical effort just to stay in the same rough place was intense. But worth it, as during the second hour I was able to slide forward to only 4 people deep. The view was much better now, but was so physically demanding I had to sacrifice my position to better enjoy the music.

Do not ask me to say what the play order was. Apparently, I even left before the third encore! However, I did move to the stands for the second encore and got to see 40,000 people thrusting their arms into the air. Quite a thrilling sight.

Metallica did play Master of Puppets, Disposable Heroes, Nothing Else Matters, Battery, and For Whom The Bell Tolls. And they played it very loudly and the crowd was very rowdy. And my ears are ringing - though should recover in another day or two, by all accounts!

I left thoroughly dehydrated, unable to run for the tube. Barely able to walk. I arrived at train station with spare time to buy MacDonald’s largest cola drink and had finished it off before I even sat down on the train. I was that thirsty. When I got home, I had a pint of orange squash and then went to bed.

It was an evening for which I have only a T-shirt as a memento, and my memories…