Last night I went out, yes you heard that right I went out on a Monday night (what is the world coming to?). My boys and I went to Tinseltown theaters to go and see Metallica’s S&M2 concert with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Now I’m more of a Megadeth fan and I thought to myself, I’m really tired today and do I want to go and sit through two and a half hours of headbanging, thrasher metal?
Yes, yes I do, because although Dave Mustaine left Metallica in the early 1980’s I was extremely impressed with this concert. I can’t begin to describe just how awesome this experience was and this was on film AFTER the original concert had taken place. And what’s even more surprising is that the San Francisco Symphony made Metallica’s music SO MUCH BETTER than it originally is! (sorry Dave).
I’m not exaggerating when I say that the kettle drums, the French horns, and the CELLOS…..I’m like who puts cellos and French horns in a metal concert?!? Metallica that’s who! It added a….oh how do you say, je ne sais quoi to the entire performance. Oh I also have to mention the orchestras conductor, Edwin Outwater. He conducted the orchestra with such fluidity and grace, but of course the orchestra itself was the bomb! They performance only enhanced Metallica’s musical talent by like a thousand! Oh one more word on Mr. Outwater, he’s a cutie patootie, there I said it! Not what you’d think an orchestra conductor to look like, totes out of the norm.
But wait there’s more (insert cheesy sales pitch here) all of this amazing performance was only the sundae underneath. The cherry on top was a wonderful, spectacular tribute to Cliff Burton, their first bassist who died in 1986 at the age of 24 in a bus accident while on tour for their Master of Puppets tour in Sweden.
Scott Pingel, the Symphony’s principal bass player played an electric instrument (a cello looking thing) and produced a haunting rendition of Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth). Then when Lars Ulrich joined in BAM! It became the most perfect tribute to a former band member I’ve ever heard, I was on the verge of tears! And as mentioned this isn’t even my favorite band but it was enough to move me to stand along with all the others in the theater and start banging my head. Which by the way my three boys were mortified by, but meh, I think I’ve earned embarrassing them now since they are all grown men and because I just turned 50 so I’m with the attitude that I DON’T GIVE A FLYING FUCK about embarrassing y’all in public!
Here is the Scott Pingel/Lars Ulrich tribute to Cliff Burton, just spectacular!
So, if you have a chance to go and see this rock concert movie, do it you won’t be sorry!
Until next time remember, chin up, solider on and watch your back!
The Huntress 915
The Huntress 915 
Sounds amazing and maybe it will play in the Dallas area. The last headbanging concert I went to was Metallica with Guns N Roses and Faith No More opening. I am more of an alternative rock person but I can’t pass up a good heavy metal event.
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You should check to see if it’s playing, I heard its in theaters until the end of October.
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No banjo?
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Lmao, no there is no banjo, and I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing.
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I had a nice evening too. Went camping, but woke up to rain this morning.
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Oh how marvelous, I haven’t been camping in decades but I’m sure waking up to rain isn’t all that bad.
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I was a teenager in the 1980s and for some strange reason, I never got into Metallica. I suppose I was too busy with Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. My 18 yo daughter has certainly gotten in to all of that stuff. She actually tries to drag me to a lot of concerts and I go to some of them. But I have to remind her that I am no longer teenage Jason. He faded away about the time he started having to support himself.
Glad you had a good time with your kids. I am probably going to turn into quite an empty-nester before too long.
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Well I’m not a big Metallica fan either, I prefer Megadeth. But my boys are all into the band and bought me a ticket before they asked me if i wanted to go, lol. Cherish your kids before they leave……I can say that because my oldest still lives with me…..yeah STILL…..lol
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Not a metal fan as a rule…. but I imagine the music was amazing with a full symphony.
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It was, and I think even non-metal heads would have liked the concert because of the Symphony.
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Looks pretty good, I’ve noticed a few bands reworking their music in a similar way, it’s very effective.
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I love that a lot of the bands are doing this, it really does make their music a lot better.
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I agree… It gives the music note depth.
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That is so amazing. And have you ever carried a French horn? Talk about heavy metal.
Okay, that was a really bad joke and would have made more sense if we were talking about tubas, but still, just from the clip you shared it’s obvious that this concert film goes to eleven.
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OMG a Spinal Tap reference! Awesome Christopher! And no that joke wasn’t as bad as you think, you cracked me up 😉
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I read somewhere that Lars Ulrich was asked about the part in Spinal Tap where they get lost looking for the stage and he said, “That’s not funny! That happened to us!” And that’s hilarious.
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I heard that too, but it’s not just them it happened to, apparently it happened to Aerosmith as well, because they were high and drunk, lol.
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This sounds so freaking awesome! I wish the demographic in my area were a little younger so we’d get shows like this here.
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Aww sorry Maggs, it’s all those snowbirds that are screwing with your demos…..lol. But this was an amazing concert film, I’d go see it again if I could. All shows until the end of the month are sold out.
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The symphony orchestra here started doing a lot of rock and pop culture tribute shows over the last decade or so since they kicked the old crusty director out… I thought maybe they were trying to overreach their audience, but it seems like that must be the norm now. I don’t think they’ve done Metallica yet… though I learned in college that heavy metal and classical music uses a lot of the same chords and structure, so I can imagine it blends together much better than most people would think.
That said, I must have been the only kid in the 80’s who wasn’t into Metallica and the more hardcore metal acts of the time. i think every kid at school but me was wearing all of those bands’ T shirts!
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Late to the party, but I have always enjoyed a symphony playing with a rock band. Unfortunately, the last time I got to go to one was in the 90s. It was the Moody Blues and the Duluth/Superior Symphony. Just amazing!
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Oh man the Moody Blues, I can only imagine what Nights in White Satin sounded like with a full blown orchestra!
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Between the shivers up the spine and the misty eyes it was unbelievably amazing.
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Oh man! I wish I could go to concerts because this is one I’d surely hit! I love it when musicians combine hard rock or metal with freakin’ classical instruments!!! OMG. GOOSEBUMPS! How awesome! I especially love the cello — Apocalyptica took Metallica songs and made them spectacular! Now I want to listen to cellos! Haha! Excellent tribute indeed, and excellent post my friend! ❤
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Thank you Deb, I’m sure you would love it! I sure did, and I didn’t even want to go but the boys bought my ticket two months ago. I’m glad I did though it was awesome!
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Sounds like an amazing time! I have never been a heavy metal guy in the Megadeth or Metallica sense, I was more into the glam rock and hair bands stuff back then. And, really, today. I miss the music like that, though, it was just plain fun. Rock on, sister! 🤘🤘🤘
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Sadly, I blew my hearing out a long time ago and high level music is just the buzzing of different frequencies and harmonics.
I sure do miss the concert experience and I am glad you have such a good time!
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Huntress,
Sounds like a fun evening. I think they were showing this in one of the theatres around here. I should take David. He loves both Metallica and symphony! Perfect! Mona
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I love Metallica!!! Sounds like a great experience.
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Edwin Outwater used to be the conductor of the K-W Symphony here where I live–when he left, everyone was devastated. I’m actually friends with him on Facebook, lol. And I’m really hoping they bring the show to Toronto–I’m dying to see it!
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Oh wow, your Facebook friends with the cutie conductor?! I loved this concert film, it’s awesome. You should see if it’s playing, it’s not being advertised like a regular film. My boys found out about though FB of all places.
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Yes, I’l definitely have to look for it!
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