TOUR ARCHIVE

Date: 1999-11-19
Location: Berlin - Germany [13 shows here]
Venue: Velodrom [1 shows here]
Info: S&M
Fan reviews: 1 - Add yours!
Author: Nathalie
Setlist: Yes

The best thing for the whole year for me? To see Metallica live in Berlin with the symphony orchestra of Berlin. I was so happy that I got my tickets and my flight from Munich to Berlinearly so that I would be able to look also for the backstage passes as early as possible.

So the adventure began: I got up early in the morning and then drove to Munich by car. At the airport - looking for the check-in of the British Airways? I first thought that I would have booked a flight to Mallorca as there were such a lot of people waiting for check-in. We were waiting about one and a half hours till the first of our group came to the check-in and then they told us that our flight already is ready to go and we should hurry up to get in? No one has given us any information about the Berlin flight in these 1 and half hours they onlytold us that the airplane will wait -> good joke. We ran with our baggage to the gate and there the people were very angry with me and told me that it is my own fault as I am too late at theairport? I thought I should kill them!!!!! I stood outside for one and a half hours waiting for the check-in and now they would like to tell me that I am too late? the airplane was full and so they booked me for the next flight to berlin? As far as I knew all flights for the day were sold-out so I was on the 12th position on the waiting list. But I had luck .... got my place for the second flight.

Arrived in Berlin a friend of mine picked me up at the airport and then we wanted to go to the velodrom for getting my reservated tickets. I took us more than 2 hours till we were at the velodrom? I really got very nervous as the metclub told me to be there early for getting alsothe backstage passes. Okay? We were at the velodrom and ran around it looking for an entrance? But every door was closed? Then we met Robert of the german met-club chapter and he told us that we have to go to the parking garage as there would be the main entrance? Would you ever think about such a thing?? Me neither! There they told us that the doors will open at 6:30pm? So we won't get our tickets now we had to wait till they open the door? I wanted to go to the hotel for having a shower and change my clothes as I only was prepared for the flight? But this wasn't possible as we would not have been back in time. So we stood there in front of the doors in the cold night.... raining... snowing..... "oh God," I thought, "this is now the thing I was waiting for such a long time?" But who cares? The only thing that was important was the concert and being there.

Then we got our tickets and I got a pink-paper of the met-club for the backstage pass? I was soooooooo happy? Promptly called my mother at home and told her that I would be in - I would meet Jason and James... great... such a lot of thoughts in my head!!!!! But then they only let in 5 and 6 year met-club members as they didn't have more passes? I couldn't believe... I was so angry... sad... disillusioned.... OK who cares.... I went into the velodrome looking for my seat? It was AREA A, row 12, right side ..... the first thought was "shit? right side" I wanted to see Jason on stage and he mainly is on the left side... but OK... I'm in that's all what is important. I showed my ticket the security asking where this place is.... he saw the ticket and only said "shit".... I asked "what does this mean?".... he then told me that there doesn't exist the 12th row on the right side anymore as they needed a free space and so they eliminated this row. Great .... "and now?".... the only place he was able to offer me was the 15th row in AREA B.... this time I wanted to scream and cry together in a horrible loudness really ... I told him that the place he offers me cost 30 DM less than my ticket and that this place is behind the mixer and I wouldn't be able to see anything. I met some guys who had the same tickets than me but had some more for the left side? Row 12 of their friends who didn't come till now.... I had the opportunity to come with them? But when their friends would come I would have to look for another place..... OK good luck... but only for the first half of the concert .... their friends came.... but I saw a free place two rows in front of us and took place? And then the unbelieveable thing began. Beside me there was a German guy who began to talk with me and told me that he is the manager of a very successful german rap-group "Die Fantastischen Vier" (I don't know if you ever heard of them)? I told him about the shit happening on this day and then he said "Ok, I have two invitations but I only need one ... I think you should go there" and gave me a black invitation and a silver wristband ...... I COULDN'T BELIEVE ... this was the entrance for the AFTER-SHOW-PARTY in the Palais am Festungsgraben where our four horsemen came after the show!!!!!! GREAT.

The show did kick ass really. I think that the berlin symphony orchestra never had such a loud welcome and won't have it ever again in their live? The audience was great. Extasy of Gold only with the orchestra was a great intro and then James came on stage to begin to play with them the intro of Call of Ktulu.... the mass was so loud to welcome James. Slowly all the others took place on stage.... Jason.... then Lars... and last but not least Kirk. The 2nd song was Master of Puppets.... all were singing.... the crowd sometimes louder than James himself.... and I didn't believe that they are playing the whole version of MOP. Awesome. Of Wolf and Man followed by The Thing That Should Not Be were also great songs but sometimes I hoped to hear better was Kirk was playing and James singing? The orchestra sometimes was too loud that I couldn't hear them both. "Gimme fuel, gimme fire, .... " this made the audience screaming asloud as they could when James began to sing Fuel ... great performance. And then we were asked to sing together with him to The Memory Remains.... and we did... as loud as possible and as wrong as we could (no joke) we did it really good. After Memory the first new song No Leaf Clover began and the audience was really silent as they didn't know the song at all.... I wasn't so happy about it as the sound was so bad there in the velodrome that I wasn't able to check it out clearly... but I was sure that it is a great song and was looking forward to hear it on the CD. With Hero of the Day, Devil Dance and Bleeding Me the first part of the concert was over and they made a short break for about 20 minutes. I took this time to try to check what happened to me? I'm on the Metallica show here in Berlin, have an after-show pass in my bag and I sit in the 8th row and have a good sight to the stage and to Jason. Ok, slowly I realized everything around me and was able to think normal again? You won't believe that I'm already 30 years old? I also didn't? It seemed like I would be back in my teenage times.

The second part began with Nothing else matters what really is great together with the orchestra? One of the best songs for this composition of musicians. Also Until it Sleeps was a kick-ass song together with the orchestra but again I wasn't able to hear Kirk playing. One of my favourites than began? For Whom the Bell Tolls! GREAT! I love this bass intro and Jason did a great job trying to get every one to sing with James and to make the crowd screaming and banging together with him. After bellz the second new song -Human began and we again were a little bit more silent than before to check it out. When they began to play Wherever I may roam the security had no more chance to keep the people sitting again as they went crazy.... followed by The Outlaw Torn, everyone was singing. My all time favourite song SAD BUT TRUE really kicked ass... noone was on the seat... all were standing and banging, singing, screaming..... but although the sound wasn't so good the performance was soooo great. Jason was banging as ever and made the crowd to be with him and also Kirk and James were running around the stage through the orchestra from one side to another.

It was time for a fight? ONE intro began and all again jumped out of their seats .... including me as it also is one of my favourites. It is such a great live song but the orchestra had some problems to follow Lars in the faster part? Good job LARS? I didn't thought that he would be as fast as he was in former times.... but he did.... now there wasno more chance to keep anyone on the seat as the performance of One was so fucking good and then promptly followed by Enter Sandman (I believe the half of the fans were fans till the black album)....... after Sandman I went to the upper stage to see the whole stage and the whole audience for Battery and this was real great.... the raging crowd... and it was a better sound there..... this time I called mymother and told her that she now takes part on a historical show for this and also the next millenium.....

THANX guys for this great show.... for being in germany this time... for having the possibility to taking part on this great moment......

After the show I promptly went to the hotel.... having a shower.... new make-up.... new clothes.... and then took a taxi to the after-show-party. There were a lot of people.. very important (they seemed to be ... lol).... I met again the guy who gave me the wristband for this and I thanked him very much for letting me have this chance..... I stood up on the stairs.... trying to find my cigarettes.... suddenly all the people to a little bit nervous and I turned around to see what's up.... and there I stood in front of James... he came up the stairs together with Kirk .... followed by Jason and his girlfriend. Till this moment I didn't believe that they really would come there.... but they did.... I only can say that I thought about this moment every day weeks before the concert.... what can I say if I am in front of them.... what would I ask.... but I forgot everything .... I also didn't know that I am able to speak English..... LOL.... teenage-Nathi!!!!! But my knowledges came back very fast. James made some photos with fans.... also Jason.... but then James and Kirk went into another room - opened for everyone - and Jason and his girlfriend went to the closed area.

I made some rounds through the rooms... got something to drink.... some talks to other persons there but then returned to the place where Kirk and James were ..... James was talking to some guys there and Gio always was round him.... but I had the possibility to take a picture ofKirk... I asked him if it is possible and he smiled and said "yes, of course" and made a step to me putting his arm higher..... I thought... oh God, he comes to me.... wants to put his arm round me for the photo... but who will make it.... these guys are from France and I forgot all my french-knowledge... so the only thing I was able to say was "no, stay there I'll take the photo" and then I wasn't able to make the photo.... it took me three times till it was ready.... Kirk was very funny.... laughed about my mistakes.

But then he had to return for some official photos to the others..... some minutes later - also Jason and his girlfriend were standing beside me and I had the possibility to talk to him .... asking if the show was OK for them... and he told me that he didn't think that it would be so good as it was... he was very impressed by the German audience and I told him that his performance was real great. Jason signed my snake-pit-pass but didn't want to make another photo as he had done it so often this evening - I respect his wish.... then Kirk came also to us and also signed my snake-pit-pass. So I was there for about 3 hours and most of the time between my great heroes!!!!! I also asked about the new album.... what their plans are for the next year and they told me the same as they said in the interviews... they will maybe begin in the middle of 2000 to work on it but aren't sure how long it will need. Expect the new cd in 2001. Lars wasn't very nice... he came in and promptly went into a corner... backside.... where he was able to stay alone with some of his friends. Hm.... it was great fun there and the best experience I ever made in my life.

Went home at about 4:00am and had a lot of dreams but wasn't able to sleep long.... too much things in my head.... kept me thinking about this experience.... didn't realize it till now that it really happened.....