Perhaps it’s the abundance of grey hairs dotting James Hetfield’s beard. Maybe it’s Lars Ulrich’s ever-decreasing hairline. It could be the lines on Kirk Hammet’s forehead, or even the fact that Robert Trujillo seems increasingly silly in his trademark shorts – but Metallica look old.
Middle-age may have crept up on the rock gods without many realising it, but if the fortysomethings are ready for their pipe and slippers, they show no outward signs of it tonight. For one thing, the sound from the stage at Marlay Park is near-pristine, and even from halfway back, the set-up is impressive; flanked by screens on either side, the quartet’s set is enhanced by a pyrotechnic display (fireworks, flames and various explosions) that’d put Disneyland to shame.
Musically, they sound in fine fettle, too, and though they pepper their set with a couple of new tracks from the forthcoming Death Magnetic, it’s oldies like ‘.. And Justice For All’, ‘Ride the Lightning’, ‘Kill ‘Em All’ and ‘One’ that provoke the best reactions from the surprisingly well-behaved crowd.
The ‘hits’ are rolled out, too, but ’Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘Enter Sandman’ fail to have the same impact as their ‘Whiskey In the Jar’ cover, dedicated to Phil Lynott on what would have been his 59th birthday.
Yeah, they may be old, and perhaps they can’t hold a crowd’s attention like they used to – but these old codgers can still teach the young ‘uns a thing or two about rock.