Donington 2004 - Metallica - ThunderWeb V2.2

Download 2004: Metallica - Donington 6th June 2004

Setlist: Battery / The Four Horsemen (w Dave Lombardo from Slayer) / For Whom the Bell Tolls / Creeping Death / Seek and Destroy (w Joey Jordison from Slipknot) / Fade to Black (w Flemming Larsen) / Wherever I May Roam / Last Caress / Sad But True / Nothing Else Matters / Enter Sandman (w Joey Jordison from Slipknot)

I was never a Metallica fan. I was put off by all that early, thrashy stuff and never bothered to listen any further. I didn’t think I was missing anything that I couldn’t get from the stuff I already liked. Then, some years back, my daughter started listening to rock music that she had discovered herself, rather than things I had played her. Metallica became a big part of her musical diet and could be heard frequently and loudly, issuing forth from her bedroom, sandwiched between Iron Maiden and Aerosmith. Still, I was not convinced to venture much further than admitting ‘Enter Sandman wasn’t a bad track’.

And then, the funniest thing happened, I came across a recording from a radio show, somewhere, of an acoustic version of The Four Horsemen, and whaddyaknow? I’m suddenly a convert; the veil had been lifted from mine eyes - I’d seen the light and realised that there was some bloody good material in their back catalogue; Master of Puppets, Vertigo and Load. Hell, I even liked some of the Kill ‘em All and Ride the Lightning stuff. Of course, being a sensitive individual (most of the time, well, quite a lot of the time), there were still elements of their history which still made me want to remove all my body hair with gaffer tape, but generally speaking, I was prepared to at least listen to something once, before making up my mind.

So, we came to Download; Metallica back on UK soil for a proper festival appearance, not some unannounced, impromptu hoedown, like last year. Yeah, even at the ridiculously extortionate, rip-off prices of Download, I figured it would be worth it. Besides, Danko Jones was playing as well.

By the time 8:30 came around, I was hot, knackered beyond belief and looking forward to the imminent arrival onstage of the headliners. It had been a good day. Firstborn was in the USA and couldn’t come to Donington this year, but Secondborn was with me, at her first big festival, and having a fine time. 8:45 came, and went, as did 9:00, 9:15, and 9:30. Then, at 9:38, almost 90 minutes later than scheduled, James Hetfield appeared and made the announcement that Lars was not with them, due to an unspecified medical emergency; but they were going to go ahead with some guest performers.

Now, call me cynical but my first thought was that he had taken too much, or it was too pure; let’s face it, these guys have history. Maybe his non-appearance was not self-induced, but I doubt it. Shame on you, Lars. Come on, if you want to OD, do it after the gig, don’t piss on the people who keep you in the lifestyle to which you’ve become accustomed. It cost me over £100 for two tickets to see Metallica and I came away feeling as if I’d been mugged. We had to wait an hour and a half for a short set, no encores, and an embarrassed apology. Everyone watching the main stage, I think without exception, was stunned to find that Enter Sandman was the last song. No Fuel, King Nothing, or One; they just walked off stage with a weak ‘That’s all we’ve got.’ I, for one, thought it was the standard ‘we’re going to pretend to go off, do a line and come back in a couple of minutes’ scenario. But, when the music came through the PA and made it clear that it was, indeed, finished, everyone began to leave, almost in silence, dumbfounded by the evening’s events.

Credit to the rest of the band for going on and at least doing something - it was the least they could do to prevent a riot. However, that really is beside the point. This was a big show and Ulrich let everyone down. It would have been bad enough had it happened at an arena gig in the middle of a tour, but this was 70-odd thousand people at the biggest UK rock festival of the year. It felt like they were taking the piss and they simply didn’t do enough to make up for it. Had they come on, done the 90 minutes and then said: ‘Look, we haven’t had time to rehearse any more songs, so we’re going to wing it and do a couple of acoustic things for you.’ But, they didn’t. I’ll wager they took the gig money though.

What they did do was good, but not spectacular, more a curiosity than anything else. Much respect to Joey Jordison, Dave Lombardo and Flemming Larsen, who filled in supremely well, with very little time to prepare or rehearse. But, we all went to see Metallica: the full band. Not two band members, the new guy and a series of stand-ins, no matter how good they were. I can go and see a Metallica tribute band anytime, at a fraction of the cost.

I had so wanted to sing their praises - and I did enjoy the performance, what there was of it - but even a week later, I still feel more let down by Lars’ no-show, than impressed by the others’ resourcefulness and ability to cobble together a show.

Personally, I think Metallica owes everyone who was at Donington. As an apology, I think they should send a CD of the set, free of charge, to anyone who can provide the unique code number on the ticket. I don’t suppose they will, but it would be a nice gesture and it might actually persuade some of the pissed-off fans to go and see them next time they come to this country. How would they like it if we didn’t bother turning up to their gigs?

Metallica they may be, but they ain’t no Iron Maiden.

Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder

12th June 2004

February 2005
And they certainly ain't no Megadeth either!

About the photos...

Ah, they're mostly shite... we were so far away and everyone in front of me:

was at least a foot taller than me (blocks out sunlight)
had the annoying habit of being bald (bounces the flash back)
put their hand up every time I pressed the shutter release (Duh!).

No word of a lie, perhaps I'm shrinking with age, but everyone seems so much taller than me these days. Nevertheless, genius will out and in spite of my camera showing its age and me being too much of an old fart to get any closer, I did snap a couple that I'm rather taken with.