Metallica were welcomed to the stage at Hampden Park in Glasgow by relentless heatwave sun and a blast of Ennio Morricone's The Ecstasy of Gold. It was a striking start to the closing leg of a three year-plus world tour, which began with the release of the metal legends' solid 2023 album 72 Seasons. Much of the tour has comprised mini-residencies, with back-to-back "no repeats" shows offering the promise of deep cuts while betting on completists' deep wallets. This stop in Glasgow was for one night only, meaning a guarantee of both hits and lesser played gems.
Setlist Showcases Range
The 15-strong setlist showcased the range of the band's catalogue, from the heavy, pyrotechnics-laden Fuel and Kill 'Em All's incredible opener Hit the Lights to the moodiness of The Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters. "I see people crowd surfing," said singer James Hetfield, bemused. "Whatever it takes, man." The title track from 72 Seasons was the only song from the band's newest album to make the setlist, but it still got two mini circle pits going in the standing area. There was even a moment of light entertainment during the regular spot for a cover of a local song, courtesy of bassist Rob Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett; tonight, it was an arguably too easy pick of The Proclaimers' 500 Miles.
In-the-Round Performance Energizes Crowd
The band played in the round, which proved conducive to both audience sightlines and the band's dynamism. As each member moved around the ring-shaped stage – even drummer Lars Ulrich moved between four separate kits – they were constantly buoyed up by the fans up close in the central circular "snake pit", lending this stadium show some of the reciprocal energy of an intimate venue. All four members flitted between runs, kneels and statuesque poses, but Ulrich arguably had the most vigour. He leapt off his stool to play standing up during several intros, and even leaned into a back bend at the end of Creeping Death, to the delight of the crowd behind him. By the final run of Seek & Destroy, Master of Puppets and Enter Sandman, the whole stadium was infused with the energy of the fans in the middle – a 50,000-strong snake pit for a band who remain vital and dramatic in their fifth decade.
