Then, they step out to a delirious reception. With skull artwork on display and bathed in cool red lights, Creeping Death kicks things off spectacularly, before the frontman grooves and grins his way through Harvester Of Sorrow. “You’re all fresh, you’re feeling good, you’re smelling semi-decent…” he pauses to tell the crowd after Leper Messiah, opting for some more light-hearted onstage patter than too much of the usual ‘Metallica family’ stuff. And in fact, whether it’s tearing through Orion as he smokes a cigar onstage, or jamming the intro to The Day That Never Comes while casually perched atop a bright yellow ’Tallica amp, seeing him have so much fun onstage is the real joy here.
That’s not to say James’ bandmates aren’t on the same impressive level, obviously. Lars Ulrich’s thunderous double-bass through Lux Æterna can be felt deep in fans’ chests for miles. Kirk Hammett, meanwhile, brings literal outfit sparkles along with his dazzling riffs, and Rob Trujillo’s spinning-while-shredding shtick is effortlessly badass.