Unexpectedly Rocking Out with Metallica

Last night, Jupiter popped the question: "Do you want to see Metallica?" My initial response was, "Not really." But curiosity got the better of me, and I started exploring last-minute tickets on SeatGeek. When I asked Jupiter how much he wanted to attend, his response was a solid 69%. Admittedly, it's an illogical question, but I didn't know what to expect.

Metallica boasts a massive following, and their concerts tend to take place in large arenas. This one was at The Dome at America's Center in downtown St. Louis. Stadium-sized concerts have never been my cup of tea. I can never justify the cost of getting up close, and the nosebleed seats don't offer much of a view.

Moreover, while I don't detest heavy metal, it's not a genre that dominates my playlists. I recognize a few Metallica songs, and I appreciate the talent of the musicians, but my excitement for the show was rather muted.

Not too long ago, Les Claypool and his Frog Brigade were in town, but we couldn't make it to that gig. I had promised Jupiter that I'd take him to a concert, but we needed to find one that better fit our schedule, ideally on a non-school night. Well, this Metallica concert seemed to check all the boxes, so off we went.

Despite my initial reservations about stadium concerts and a band that I wasn't particularly into, I soon found myself nodding my head and tapping my foot to the music. The stage setup was unique, with a circular stage and cylindrical monitors, which you can see in the attached picture. It was a refreshing departure from the typical stadium shows that use only three-quarters of the seats and a distant stage with monitors off to the side for us folks too far away to make out more than ants playing guitars.

Kudos to the tech wizards who transformed lights, smoke, monitors, pyrotechnics, and beach balls into a visual extravaganza. They even had the drummer moving around the stage using four spaced-out trap doors, each revealing a drum kit underneath.

All in all, I enjoyed this concert far more than I had anticipated. What brought me the most joy was sharing this experience with Jupiter, who's developed a fondness for live music. Despite my initial reluctance and the two-plus hours it took to navigate from our seats to the top of the parking garage and back home, I'm grateful to have become, as James Hetfield kept saying on stage, a part of the Metallica family. This doesn't necessarily mean Metallica will top my playlist, but if the chance to see this band, which is a year older than me, arises again, I might just take it up.

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