I had some trouble getting time off work for a three-day concert, but I finally managed to get permission for the last day, and I got to go to the amazing Metallica concert. Even though it was the last day, it was incredible. The trip from Atlanta to Los Angeles was pretty exhausting, but it was worth it. After a 4.5-hour flight, I arrived. While wandering around Santa Monica Pier, I was amazed to see so many Hispanic people who are huge Metallica fans. Everyone was wearing Metallica t-shirts. There were also a ton of international fans, mostly from France, Finland, and Denmark.

I was super excited for the concert that evening. I was also pumped to see Five Finger Death Punch before Metallica. I had a floor ticket. On the way to Sofi Stadium, I saw people in wheelchairs and with broken legs making their way to the concert. I arrived at the venue three hours early to get a good spot in the front row. After we got our wristbands, everyone started running. By the way, the concert set a new record with 78,000 attendees, surpassing Taylor Swift. When we got to the concert area, I managed to snag a spot in the second row.

After three hours of waiting, the atmosphere was amazing. At 6:30 PM, a band called Ice Nine Kills came on. They weren’t really my thing, but they seemed to appeal to the 13-18 age group. After their half-hour set, FFDP came on with a bang. It was incredible. Their vocalist Ivan Moody was really sick, so he couldn’t perform, but Phil Labonte (from All That Remains) filled in and did an amazing job. Then, in the middle of the concert, Howard Jones from Killswitch Engage came out and delivered an awesome performance. FFDP played for a full hour, and even though I didn’t know their setlist beforehand, I loved every song. Even people who didn’t know FFDP sang along to “Bad Company.” Then, FFDP left the stage, and there was a half-hour break for Metallica’s setup.

After the break, you could feel the excitement in the air. Everyone in the front row suddenly surged forward because the legends were about to come on. I think they opened with an AC/DC song, though I didn’t recognize it. They started moving around the stage, and at one point, Lars came to the front. People were crowd surfing and going wild. The concert area was a frenzy. When they played “Ride the Lightning,” my all-time favorite, I just lost myself. The live performance was incredible. They also played a few songs from their new album “72 Seasons.” My favorite was “If Darkness Had a Son,” which was amazing. I was thrilled to hear “No Leaf Clover” live; it was an unbelievable performance. Then, I saw Jason Momoa in the snake pit, and the night kept getting better. Usually, I find “Dirty Window” to be one of Metallica’s simplest songs, but hearing it live blew my mind. I started screaming and singing along with James. They disappeared for a bit, then James came back on stage and sang “Whiskey in the Jar” while huge balls with the 72 Seasons logo dropped from above. It was an incredible spectacle. Lars’ drum kit rose right in front of us, and his wild, charming looks drove everyone crazy. An Iranian guy in front of me, who was a huge Metallica fan, managed to get Lars’ attention with a “Lars was right” t-shirt, and they took a photo together after the concert. The whole show was just incredible. I didn’t catch any of the guitar picks they threw, but that’s okay; I had an amazing time. In October, there’s going to be a Power Trip, and I’m thinking about going to that too. Stay tuned for more reviews!

Akif Özöksel