For decades, Metallica’s live performances have captivated audiences worldwide, but what truly resonates with frontman James Hetfield when the amps are cranked? While Hetfield hasn’t explicitly pinpointed a single ‘best’ or ‘worst’ show, his relationship with the band’s vast catalog and its reception on stage offers a fascinating glimpse into his perspective.
Live shows have seen their share of challenges and triumphs. The 2003 album ‘St. Anger’ received significant negative reception from audiences during live performances, a fact Hetfield has playfully acknowledged and even teased the crowd about. Conversely, some songs forge an undeniable emotional bond. Hetfield finds particular enjoyment in performing ‘Nothing Else Matters’ live due to the deep connection it fosters with the audience, often leading to tears and embraces. Meanwhile, ‘Seek & Destroy’ holds a special place, historically concluding Metallica’s shows for many years and celebrated for its strong crowd participation.
Not all songs share the same fond memories for Hetfield. He considers ‘Escape’ from the ‘Ride the Lightning’ album a song he regrets writing. The band’s live history also includes unforgettable, albeit challenging, moments such as the 1992 Montreal concert. This event is remembered for a pyrotechnics accident involving James Hetfield, which led to an abbreviated Metallica set and subsequently, a riot after Guns N’ Roses also cut their performance short.
Despite the varied experiences, certain tracks consistently ignite the crowd. Frequently played live, indicating strong audience engagement, are iconic anthems like ‘Master of Puppets’, ‘Creeping Death’, ‘Seek and Destroy’, ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’, ‘One’, ‘Enter Sandman’, ‘Sad But True’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’, ‘Fade To Black’, and ‘Welcome Home (Sanitarium)’.
When it comes to his personal favorites, Hetfield’s list has proven to be as dynamic as Metallica’s discography. There is no consistent ‘top three,’ but his enjoyment of ‘Nothing Else Matters’ for its audience interaction remains clear. He has consistently viewed the entire ‘Master of Puppets’ album as a peak in the band’s energy and songwriting. Over time, his inclinations have evolved; more recently, Hetfield has mentioned enjoying performing ‘Lux Æterna’ and ‘Shadows Follow’ from the ’72 Seasons’ album. Looking back further, around 2002, he reportedly named ‘The Thing That Should Not Be’ as a favorite. Older reports from a ‘Fan Can’ also suggest that at one point, ‘Bleeding Me’, ‘The Outlaw Torn’, and ‘Fixxxer’ were among his preferred Metallica songs.