Noahm

I Ain't Just Another Photograph

It was a regular thursday evening at Penn Station, I jumped in the Long Island Railroad heading to Hempsted. I sat down, exhausted from my rush through Manhattan to catch the train on time. I looked around, curious, as it was my first time heading to Long Island for something that didn’t involve white sand & bikins. Most of the people were obviously going back home to their family, escaping the frenzy of the City for a few hours. Me, on the other side, I was heading towards frenzy. And so was another couple bearing “Ride to The Lightning” T-shirts. Yeah, that’s right, that album released in 1984 by what was then a rising metal band promised to shine: Metallica. 25 years later - which is about my age.. or not - the 4 horsemen had lived up to the expectations. And tonight, they were back. The quintet led by James Hetfield was honoring the release of their 11th studio album entitled “Death Magnetic”, the one following the debacle of “St. Anger” and its making-of documentary which related the quarrels of a falling band that almost reached their final gasp.

But Metallica fought back and made it through.

After a 45 minutes bus transfer, I finally arrived at Nassau - which gotta be the less accessible venue of the state of New York. I Called up the publicist and met at the rendez-vous point to retrieve my photo pass - which gotta be the biggest photo pass in the state.. I mean ever. She handed me a paper and asked me if I needed a description of the band. I declined in surprise. I later learned that the whole New York Press - including the Times, the Post and the Daily News - was here to cover the show. So it made sense that they needed an introduction as these people aren’t really specialized into music coverage. It’s part of these small details that hints you aren’t covering the next greatest Lower East Side band @ Mercury Lounge - indeed the Times doesn’t bother covering the next greatest LES band. However, Rolling Stone might - or not - and they were here too. Anyhow.

After The Sword and Machinehead had gotten the crowd going, the publicist asked the photographers to follow her in the Pit announcing that Metallica would be taking the stage in 15 min. I entered the 20.000 populated arena, joining the round-on floor stage that was set in the center. I realized the presence of 12 microphones spread all around with the drum kit in the center. 4 Members, 12 microphones… you get the catch ? it looks like I manna have to run around :) The arena was filled with an indescribable energy. The center stage emphasized the noise as it was harvesting every decibel thrown out there. Although “Some Kind of Monster” - i.e. the documentary - greatly shook the Metallica community by showing a fragile and pathetic side of what’s possibly the biggest metal band in history, the feeling tonight was that the all the fans were ready to forgive, and forget.

After a small talk with the photographer of Rolling Stone and a couple of snapshots of Metallica’s equipment, the ecliptic crowd - spreading from the 14 years old teenage to the half-century grey haired truck driver - and the upcoming setlist, the lights went down. The roar went up as Ecstasy of Gold - Metallica’s introducing theme - started playing. The next minute I will never forget in my life, chills and goosebumps all over my skin as I was circling on myself, starring at the crowd striking up. The 4 horsemen interrupted the singing along, erupting on stage, giving rise to an even louder crowd. And I was overwhelmed when James started playing the first riffs of what will be an insanely energetic 2 hours set. I began snapping. The Myth Metallica was there and alive, leaving all of their monsters behind.

Noahm.