Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany24th May 2024
Metallica - “M72 World Tour - No Repeat Weekend” - Special Guests: Architects, Mammoth WVH
Does it get any bigger and better than that? (Spoiler: No, it doesn’t) The world’s biggest metal band METALLICA has teamed up with some real top-notch acts to bring you two nights of uninterrupted fun. Why the one-day break in between the gigs? That will remain the secret of the party hosts (extended recovery time), but the fact is it will be a massive set of shows where METALLICA will have fun by playing two totally different setlists. Also, the stage build will feature an enlarged snake pit for the die-hard (and most affluent) fans, to offer them a truly immersive experience. And immersive it was indeed. You could rightfully talk about at an entire city takeover. Everywhere in the city you saw flocks of middle-aged people sporting their favourite band’s merchandise, enjoying the sunny springtime in Munich.
Mammoth WVH
The task of opening up the evening fell to MAMMOTH WVH, the American Rock band around Wolfgang Van Halen, the son of the legendary Eddie Van Halen. What originally started as a solo project has now become a fully-fledged band, which has released their second album ‘Mammoth II’ in August 2023. http://www.mammothwvh.com
Music & Performance
Around 6 pm, when MAMMOTH WVH were scheduled to start playing, the large Olympiastadion was only two-thirds full. However, arriving early paid off that night, as MAMMOTH WVH proved to be an excellent choice for an opener. The band opened their set with the catchy ‘Another Celebration at the End of the World’, and the guys gathering in the front of stage areas seemed to dig it. The excellently written song material from the two albums definitely helped, the hit single ‘Take a Bow’ also clicked with the audience. So once again it was a quick captivating and vivid manifestation that Rock’n’Roll is still alive.
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 7
Total: 7.5 / 10
Architects
Next up on the roster were British Metalcore pioneers ARCHITECTS. The band from Brighton, UK formed around 2004. They quickly made of name for themselves together with fellow Brits ENTER SHIKARI as pioneers of Metalcore, with their style due to its protracted complexity being called “Mathcore”. Their seventh album ‘All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us’ has been released in 2016, right before the band was hit by the tragic death of founding guitarist and songwriter Tom Searle, who passed away after a long battle against cancer, aged only 28 years. Nevertheless, the band decided to carry on and continued touring as a tribute to Tom, and released another album, called ‘Holy Hell’ in November 2018. This was followed by ‘For Those That Wish To Exit’ (2021), and ‘The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit’ in 2022. http://architectsofficial.com
Music & Performance
This was an entrance to behold: A screeching, industrial sounding intro made communication inside the vast stadium round virtually impossible, and ARCHITECTS kicked-off their set with the opener ‘Seeing Red’. Frontman Sam Carter, a charismatic figure with an impassioned stage presence, gave his all from the outset, his soaring vocals cutting through the thunderous instrumentals with ease. His lyrics, often imbued with themes of social injustice and personal struggle, resonated with the crowd, their voices joining his in a chorus of shared emotion. However, clearly this gig was different than the previous headlining shows in larger venues, as the band was clearly not used to playing arenas this size. And opening for the “biggest fucking metal band in the world” (quote by Sam Carter) was visibly an honour for them, but the audience was simply a different demographics.
However, for the song ‘Doomsday’, Sam gave the crowd detailed instructions on how to circle pit, which caused a few swirls in the crowd. Sam also won over the hearts of the fans, as he revealed an antique German football jersey. He reminded also every one of the finiteness of life, encouraging everyone to make the best of each moment. Coming from a band leader with such history, this made quite a few people thoughtful and stirred a huge round of encouraging applause, The songs ‘when we were young’ and ‘Animals’ brought 45- minute appearance to an end.
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 7
Total: 8 / 10
Metallica
The band goes way back to 1981, and this space is certainly not enough to summarize the musical impact of the biggest metal band in the world. However, the fact that this band sells out stadiums in a heartbeat, and that the fans entertain themselves while waiting for their belated idols to appear but starting Mexican Waves in the stadium round, speaks for itself. https://www.metallica.com
Music & Performance
A little later than scheduled, around 8:45pm the wait was finally over, and the band walked the cordoned off way to the centre stage to the tune of AC/DC’s ‘It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock’n’Roll)’. Then the familiar western tune ‘The Ecstasy of Gold’ from Ennio Morricone resounded, together with the film projections on the six giant columns set around the stage, sent the excitement levels through the (non-existent) roof of the stadium.
Die-hard fans could not have asked for a better opener. METALLICA came out swinging with ‘Whiplash’, visibly enjoying the tribute to their roots from four decades ago. And the audience loved every minute of it. For ‘The Memory Remains’ the whole audience sang their heart out for the refrain, which gave everyone goosebump-inducing chills. The setlist was a potent blend of new and old, with a surprise debut of ‘Of Wolf and Man’ electrifying the crowd. Classics like ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ and ‘Seek and Destroy’ had the entire stadium roaring in unison, a testament to METALLICA’s timeless anthems. The band themselves were on fire. James Hetfield’s vocals were as powerful as ever, and the interplay between Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo on guitars was nothing short of mesmerizing. Lars Ulrich held down the rhythmic foundation with the precision of a machine gun. A special mention goes out to the extended jam session between Hammett and Trujillo, dubbed the ‘Hofbräuhaus Funk Jam’.
It was a playful and unexpected moment that showcased the band’s musical chemistry and their ability to connect with the audience on a deeper level, as well as a smirking tribute to the city of Munich. METALLICA's stage presence was phenomenal. The iconic spider rig loomed large, its lights bathing the crowd in a sea of red and black. Pyrotechnics erupted throughout the night, adding a visual spectacle to the sonic assault. Then, as if summoned by the music itself, a dramatic shift in the weather occurred. Just as the band launched into the heavy intro of ‘Sad But True’, the skies opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour and a dazzling display of lightning. The crowd, initially caught off guard, quickly adapted, transforming the rain into a headbanging mosh pit. The downpour only added to the intensity of the performance, creating an unforgettable moment as METALLICA ripped through the iconic song. The torrential rain added a captivating, apocalyptic element to the infernal live show. But what was really mesmerizing to see, is that the band could not be bothered and continued unabated, despite nature’s forces testing their will.
At one moment, James muttered into the microphone “Oh come on, it’s only water”, and moments later, he admonished the stage hand, who brought him a new guitar as well as a rain jacket “It’s a little late for that buddy”. After the last song ‘Master of Puppets’, the band took to the time to shower everyone in the stage area with guitar plecs, and James mentioned he hopes to see everyone back on Sunday. This wasn’t just a concert; it was a celebration of Heavy Metal. METALLICA proved once again why they are considered one of the greatest bands of all time. If you have the chance to catch them on this tour, don’t miss it. You’ll be in for an unforgettable night. The next option is on June 1st at Racino Rocks in Ebreichsdorf near Vienna.
Setlist
01. Whiplash
02. For Whom the Bell Tolls
03. Of Wolf and Man
04. The Memory Remains
05. Lux Æterna
06. Too Far Gone? (followed by Kirk & Rob “Hofbräuhaus Funk Jam" doodle)
07. Fade to Black
08. Shadows Follow
09. Orion
10. Nothing Else Matters
11. Sad but True
12. The Day That Never Comes
13. Hardwired
14. Fuel
15. Seek & Destroy
16. Master of Puppets
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 10
Sound: 10
Light: 9
Total: 9.5 / 10
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