Metallica 2014

[FloorFiller]

thing is with Metallica is that they can only cater to the crowd so much before they just change their show completely. dress them up how you will but they're still a thrash metal band, and will play thrash metal songs. of course stuff like Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters etc will probably go down a treat, but with stuff like Disposable Heroes and the 'thrashier' stuff, the crowds just gonna have to like it or lump it

Edited March 6, 2014 by FloorFiller

[eFestivals]

I'd be pleased if they did their usual stuff, many wouldn't.

That's the point. Their usual show will only really suit their usual fans.

The crowd in front of them at Glasto is likely to have a lot of people who aren't their usual audience, and that part of the audience is who any band at any festival needs to take into account if they want to expand their fanbase.

[eFestivals]

thing is with Metallica is that they can only cater to the crowd so much before they just change their show completely. dress them up how you will but they're still a thrash metal band, and will play thrash metal songs. of course stuff like Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters etc will probably go down a treat, but with stuff like Disposable Heroes and the 'thrashier' stuff, the crowds just gonna have to like it or lump it

when a band says "like us or lump us" in regard to a festie audience, there's a bigger chance than not that they'll blow it, as has been proven thru the years by so many bands.

Edited March 6, 2014 by eFestivals

[Midnight Man]

Fair point.

I'd be pleased if they did their usual stuff, many wouldn't.

They're just Mumford Tap to me, after hearing that bloody album on endless repeat for a year thanks to the engineering student on my Uni corridor.

But each to their own - would be more exciting than the Eagles, I suppose....

[mrtourette]

thing is with Metallica is that they can only cater to the crowd so much before they just change their show completely. dress them up how you will but they're still a thrash metal band, and will play thrash metal songs. of course stuff like Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters etc will probably go down a treat, but with stuff like Disposable Heroes and the 'thrashier' stuff, the crowds just gonna have to like it or lump it

You don't get to be Metallica by making dumb decisions like playing stuff to the main stage at Glastonbury that will alienate the audience more than they have to. These guys are supreme businessmen who know how to sell themselves for the market they're in, they have enough of a back catalogue to be able to play a set of songs that will limit their alleged unsuitability. They certainly won't rock up with the 'we're Metallica, this is what we do at our own gigs, like it or lump it' approach. It will probably still too much for some people who are there at the start but they'll put a lot of thought into how to keep hold of the crowd as much as they can.

[DL50]

That's why them headlining the pyramid would be so interesting!

Do people think their setlist would look at lot different to how it usually does at Download/Sonishpere?

May have to open with something a bit easier for the casual listener, like Enter Sandman.

Even though it is a very heavy song and it's 8 minutes long, I think opening with Master of Puppets would be absolutely phenomenal

[Wooderson]

Lads have any of you actually seen them in action? "Supreme businessmen" they may be but there is an impish cheek to Metallica. They couldnt give a fiddlers about how they get over. Its a "You with us? Good. Lets do this. You out? Fine. Ceeya."

They could EASILY start with "Breadfan".

[Wooderson]

They'll want to enjoy it to remember. Start with "Sandman"???? LOL

[FloorFiller]

You don't get to be Metallica by making dumb decisions like playing stuff to the main stage at Glastonbury that will alienate the audience more than they have to. These guys are supreme businessmen who know how to sell themselves for the market they're in, they have enough of a back catalogue to be able to play a set of songs that will limit their alleged unsuitability. They certainly won't rock up with the 'we're Metallica, this is what we do at our own gigs, like it or lump it' approach. It will probably still too much for some people who are there at the start but they'll put a lot of thought into how to keep hold of the crowd as much as they can.

but, as i said, Metallica's main back catalogue consists of quite heavy thrashy songs - often 7+ minutes in length, so unless they start dusting off songs from the badly received Load and ReLoad which are slightly tamer just to appease the crowd, what can they possibly do?

opening with one of their more well known songs would be a start, and leaving out stuff like the ten minute long …And Justice For All would do them well, but somewhere along the line they're gonna play a long, heavy as fuck song

[The 38 year old virgin]

I've posted this before, I don't care!

Can you imagine if they started with this? That'd really sort out the wheat from the chaff.

[marcwilson87]

They won't hardly change their set. Might just mean they play Fuel instead of Disposable Heroes or something. Which is a despicable decision.

[FloorFiller]

They won't hardly change their set. Might just mean they play Fuel instead of Disposable Heroes or something. Which is a despicable decision.

exactly. any changes to their set to appease the crowd will almost definitely lessen their set. their best songs are the long as fuck heavy ones from the first four albums. when they started to get less heavy, they got worse (although Black Album is still great. i assume we'll still only get Enter Sandman, Sad But True and Nothing Else Matters from it though (with a slight possibility of The Unforgiven)

[eFestivals]

They won't hardly change their set.

in which case they might as well just do Soni.

[marcwilson87]

exactly. any changes to their set to appease the crowd will almost definitely lessen their set. their best songs are the long as fuck heavy ones from the first four albums. when they started to get less heavy, they got worse (although Black Album is still great. i assume we'll still only get Enter Sandman, Sad But True and Nothing Else Matters from it though (with a slight possibility of The Unforgiven)

Agreed. I've seen them in lots of different places and while they do change their set for the audience, it is not a large change (e.g. might play Dyers Eve at Soni, will replace it with something from Black album at Glastonbury - might happen with 2-3 songs)

in which case they might as well just do Soni.

No Neil, I don't have a ticket for Soni!

[CaledonianGonzo]

Whisky In The Jar incoming.

[jeffie]

There'sd been a fair amount of allusion to them making their set more Glastonbury/Pyramid friendly.

Just wondering how exactly they might do that? Play covers of Beatles classics?

[eFestivals]

There'sd been a fair amount of allusion to them making their set more Glastonbury/Pyramid friendly.

Just wondering how exactly they might do that? Play covers of Beatles classics?

i've no idea how they might do it, I just know that the bands who don't do it somehow tend not to be thought of as doing a great show at Glastonbury.

A great festival show involves both the band AND the audience.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

in which case they might as well just do Soni.

But what would you expect them to do? They successfully headline festivals all over the world with that show (many outside of the UK that don't just cater to metal fans). If that isn't suitable for Glastonbury, then Eavis shouldn't have booked them.

[eFestivals]

But what would you expect them to do? They successfully headline festivals all over the world with that show (many outside of the UK that don't just cater to metal fans). If that isn't suitable for Glastonbury, then Eavis shouldn't have booked them.

Much of the same was said about Springsteen.

I think that's all you need to know.

[tommyds]

There'sd been a fair amount of allusion to them making their set more Glastonbury/Pyramid friendly.

Just wondering how exactly they might do that? Play covers of Beatles classics?

Metallica play the songs of Val Doonican...

[rjb94]

Yeah if what they do normally at festivals doesn't work on the Pyramid, then nothing will

[FloorFiller]

at the end of the day, Eavis has booked Metallica, and the people going to see them are expecting to see Metallica. not some watered down version to appease the people in the crowd who can't handle the heaviness of it all. sure they might throw in a song or two they might not usually play, and exclude a song or two they would usually play, but after that, it's gonna be heavy, it's gonna be loud, and it's gonna be amazing

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

Much of the same was said about Springsteen.

I think that's all you need to know.

But didn't he play a lot of new material & miss out a lot of the 'classics'? I think that's an example of a big act getting it wrong & alienating the audience.

Metallica are much more used to playing festivals, I can't imagine them coming out & playing a set filled with St Anger & Lulu material...they will play their standard greatest hits/festival set. If that isn't suitable for the pyramid stage then that's the bookers fault, because they know full well what they're getting.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Frankly Mr Shankly

[eFestivals]

Yeah if what they do normally at festivals doesn't work on the Pyramid, then nothing will

Not true, not true at all.

You only have to see how many headliners change their show to better fit Glastonbury and get praised for it, and those who don't change and don't get praise for it, to see that something DOES work.

[strummer77]

Much of the same was said about Springsteen.

I think that's all you need to know.

Wasn't really though was it? Because Glastonbury was one of his first festivals I think. At that point nobody should have said his normal set goes down well at festivals as nobody could have known!

It's only since then that he started doing lots of festivals and since then he seems to have come across a lot better. For example at IOW where he was more hit heavy.

Edited March 6, 2014 by strummer77