July 6 at Roskilde Festival, Orange Stage
Playing their only concert in Europe this summer, Metallica pounded through a two-hour set that highlighted the strength of the band's thirty year career.
Opening with 'Blackened', 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' and 'Disposable Heroes', it was clear that the band was there to deliver for both longtime die-hard fans and those who had just curiously come to see the monster.
The band was clearly excited to be back at Roskilde after a ten-year absence and their energy belied their advanced years. The sound was pummeling and sublime and the performances generally tight.
The selection of Load-era tracks 'Carpe Diem Baby' and 'I Disappear' slowed down the momentum a bit mid-set, but 'Sad But True' and 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' instantly won fans back over and led to massive sing-alongs. By the time James Hetfield riffed and growled his way through the pyrotechnic-filled 'One', the night had been set off into a frenzy that was built upon by classic song after classic song, from thrash standard 'Battery' to crossover hit 'Nothing Else Matters'.
At the end of the final encore track, 'Seek and Destroy', the band and audience seemed hesitant to let each other go and a prolonged love fest was highlighted by drummer Lars Ulrich telling his countrymen that he thought Metallica should play Roskilde more than every ten years.
While it's too early to tell when they might be back, Metallica proved at Orange that no matter how many years pass, as long as the energy is still there, the metal legends can deliver in a way few other bands can. With their late surprise addition to the line-up and an inspired performance, Metallica reshaped the 2013 Roskilde Festival into their own image.
Setlist:
Blackened
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Disposable Heroes
Harvester of Sorrow
The Day That Never Was
Carpe Diem Baby
I Disappear
Sad But True
Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
The Call of Ktulu
One
Master of Puppets
Battery
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman
Fuel
Creeping Death
Seek and Destroy
