METALLICA WORLDWIRED TOUR
Review & Photos by: Char Tupper
http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/metallica-worldwired-tour/

Tonight, was an unexpected joy for me, driving into town, heading to BC Place, to see Metallica for the very first time. For one, I am super proud of the website getting to be one of select few to both review and photograph this show, but also, it was such a treat for me to be able to see the legends themselves, plus the opening acts, Avenged Sevenfold and Gojira. This tour line-up has been the talk of the summer, and for good reason, all 3 bands are unique from one another, but not so drastically different, that it didn’t work. This was a tour not to miss, and I hope you got a chance, because if you didn’t, you may want to stop reading so you don’t get a little jealous of its greatness.  

First up tonight, the metal titans out of France, Gojira. These guys, now I have seen them a few times, in my top 10 of “must see” bands for sure. I remember seeing these guys, first time, on the Radio Rebellion tour back in 2007, opening for the bands, Behemoth and Job for a Cowboy. The band, back in 2007, simply captivated me with their unique sound, energy, and charisma on stage, giving 110% in a tiny, cramped, little El Corazon in Seattle, WA. Today, 10 years later, I am getting to see and experience the massive growth of this band, opening for one of the biggest bands in metal, at massive arenas across the continent. Let me tell you, that energy from 2007, is still very much present today, in 2017, in fact, I would say it is bigger and bolder than ever. The set, sadly, was very short due to being the opening act, but, they made that set count. Their performance in my eyes, was flawless and full of energy, stage jumps, head banging, it was beyond perfect really. The set list contained various songs from their records, including “Flying Whales” and “Silvera”, giving the new fans a selection of tracks to grow addicted to, but to also meet the needs of the few diehard fans, that spent the extra money, to support an unbelievably hidden gem of heavy metal, full of raw talent, Gojira.

Now time for Avenged Sevenfold, an American heavy metal band out of California, forming back in 1999. This is a band, who has had some tragic loss and hardships throughout their lifespan, but as the band continues to grow, they continue to overcome those hard times, and continue to motivate and inspire not only themselves, but their loyal fans to push forward and create the music they all love. This was a first time seeing these guys, and to be honest, I have mixed feelings about them. To photograph, by all means, lit up well, fire, mixed energy, it was great behind the lens. Musically however, Im not sure I would catch myself rushing out to buy a CD or buy a ticket to their next event. I do give credit though, that yes, these guys poured their hearts into their performance, and it was executed very well. I did find myself after a couple of the songs, either unenthusiastic about the performance, or hearing the musical similarities between them and other acts. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with putting some of your inspiration into your music, but personally, but some similarities, almost too close to the originals, which, kind of bothers me. I had wished the openers were reversed slots, but then again, that is my opinion, since I’m sure the thousands of fans for these guys, would say otherwise.

It is time, to ride the lightning and head down to the barrier, front and centre, it’s the one we have all been waiting for, the one and only, Metallica! Now, this is a band with showmanship and talent rolled into one package, I must say.  I honestly didn’t know what to expect from the thrash legends who formed back in 1981, that quickly became one of the “Big Four” of Thrash metal, and for good reason. These guys quickly showed me why they are legends in this genre. They may be older musicians, but don’t let that fool you, they can pack a punch on stage, which, speaking of stage, their setup was massive, and that’s an understatement, believe me. Giant LED lit screens, lots of fire, explosions, lasers, you name it, they had it all. I couldn’t believe the fantastic visual that went along with their performance. I would have been sold on the performance skill and energy alone, but adding all the pyro and imagery, it was beyond amazing. James voice, sounds pretty damn close to the records, watching Lars make the fun faces behind the kit, and seeing Rob and Kirk give 110% on their instruments, breath taking to say the least. It is so rewarding to see a band who still works hard for their fans, to give them a show that they walk away smiling and talking about for months on end.  The set consisted of a wide variety of songs, from their classics like “Enter Sandman” and “One”, even performing “Fight Fire with Fire”, but also including in their set newer material like “Moth into Flame” and “Hardwired”. I think the fans were pretty satisfied with the diversity of the set, I know myself, I was impressed with the whole set.  The energy and charisma of a band who has been performing for over 30 years, I have a lot of respect for Metallica. I know some bands these days that could learn a thing or two from these guys, with the amount of work ethic they have in giving fans a true metal show, worth every penny.  This band, has truly earned their status amongst “The Big Four”, they have and always will be the true legends of metal.

At the end of the day, all I can say is this was one hell of a show. Both from the photo pit, with crazy good lights, fire, everything, to being a spectator and enjoying the amazing performance, this experience was something that I will always treasure from this day forward. I will make the conscious effort, to see Metallica when they come to my neck of the woods, now all I need to do, is get Metal Mom to see this with me next time around, and Im sure, when it’s her turn to review, she will not be disappointed, and will be as blown away as I was.