As the crowd gathered at Truist Park on a Tuesday evening, Metallica proved once again why they remain one of rock’s most enduring legacies.
The band, which achieved rock royalty status after being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, drew a diverse audience that spanned generations.
Contrast this with a recent Billy Idol concert, which attracted largely Gen Xers and Baby Boomers—a testament to Metallica’s broad appeal, captivating fans aged 7 to 70.
From the moment they took the stage, it was clear why Metallica is capable of filling stadiums worldwide.
Their sound and lyrical content have resonated with angry, disenchanted young fans for decades, and this communal experience is amplified during their live performances.
Long lines snaked through the venue as eager fans purchased merchandise, many already sporting Metallica shirts from previous tours.
The $45 T-shirts, mostly featuring quintessential skull imagery, included an Atlanta-exclusive design that quickly sold out, with the color palette limited to black and shades darker.
For Metallica, the stage is more than just a place to perform; it is their sanctuary and their fans, the sustenance that fuels their relentless touring schedule.
This concert marked the 67th stop on their M72 World Tour, which began two years earlier in Amsterdam and is set to conclude next year in London.
Pollstar ranked their tour at No. 9 last year, reporting a sizeable $179.4 million in revenue, competitively nestled between country star Zach Bryan and pop icon Madonna.
As the four band members, all in their early 60s, took the stage, they showcased a level of energy that belied their age.
James Hetfield, 61, performed classics like “Creeping Death” and “Cyanide” with intense vigor, playing the role of an animated elder ready to defend his turf.
Yet between songs, Hetfield’s more playful side shone through, revealing a performer grateful for his vocal prowess and the joy of entertaining.
During one moment on stage, he made a heartfelt statement, acknowledging the long history the band shares with their fans: “Metallica does not take this for granted.
As four brothers who have done gigs for 40-plus years, it never gets old.
To see the love we feel in Atlanta, thank you very much.
It does fill our hearts.”
He invited fans to raise their hands if it was their first Metallica concert, a significant portion of the audience responded in enthusiastic affirmation.
“That’s a whole lot of new family members,” he exclaimed.
“We’re glad you’re here.
Welcome to the family.”
The concert consisted of a relatively concise 16 songs, which is a standard for Metallica given their songs usually run six to eight minutes long, contrasting the typical three-minute pop format.
Their distinctive sound is driven by heavy drum beats from Lars Ulrich and complex guitar riffs from Kirk Hammett, topped off by Hetfield’s powerful growl.
While often serious in tone, Hetfield did not shy away from humor, jokingly mentioning that he and Ulrich would “adjust our wigs and tighten our girdles” during a break after the sixth song.
This led to a light-hearted improv session between Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo, showcasing a brief ode to the Allman Brothers with a slide guitar snippet of “One Way Out.”
For their tour, Metallica has offered a unique experience by playing entirely different sets on nights where they perform two shows, ensuring that fans attending only one night still get a robust sampling of their discography.
Since Atlanta was a single stop, fans were treated to a nearly exhaustive collection of the band’s greatest hits, including powerful renditions of “One,” “Master of Puppets,” and the climactic singalong, “Enter Sandman.”
Given the ticket prices, the production value was equally impressive.
For the first time, Metallica used a unique “donut”-shaped in-the-round stage, allowing fans who paid $1,000 or more to stand inside a “snake pit,” granting them 360-degree views of the performance.
The long, circular stage design enabled the band to move around, with Ulrich utilizing four drum sets that emerged from beneath the platform at different points in the show.
Additionally, eight massive 40-foot video screens ensured that even those in the furthest seats could catch close-up action, from Hetfield’s sweat beads to Trujillo’s hair swaying and Hammett’s rebellious T-shirt imagery.
While the grand setting is impressive, some fans felt that a more intimate venue would enhance the dynamic nature of the concert experience.
Fire safety regulations limited the floor capacity to standing room, leaving substantial open spaces that made the nearly sold-out venue feel far from full.
Moreover, the acoustic challenges of Mercedes-Benz Stadium were evident, particularly affecting the opening act, Pantera, who seemed less in tune with the venue’s layout.
The seated audience also had fluctuating energy levels compared to the vibrant atmosphere on the floor.
A uniquely humorous moment unfolded toward the concert’s conclusion when the band launched into “Seek and Destroy,” coinciding with the release of 50 oversized beach balls onto the crowd.
Though more typical of a pop concert, fans enthusiastically embraced the novelty, promptly seeking and “destroying” the beach balls, which were mostly deflated by the time they launched into “Master of Puppets” eight minutes later.
image source from：https://www.ajc.com/arts-entertainment/2025/06/metallica-hasnt-lost-a-single-angry-intense-step-40-plus-years-later/
