TOUR ARCHIVE

Date: 2009-03-30
Location: Rotterdam - Netherlands [4 shows here]
Venue: Ahoy [3 shows here]
Fan reviews: 1 - Add yours!
Author: Phil
Setlist: Yes

Note that this concert was part of a larger trip, whose details and pictures you can find here.
The venue was walking distance from the hotel which was fantastic. We got there just before 4, so we walked around the little cafe they had, I got some water, Publius got water and a muffin, and we waited. Closer to 5 we went over to where the M&Gers were and waited for Jeff. Jeff came out and we chatted for a while. We were meeting Jeff to get our passes for working. He gave them to us, but didn't need us that night, and so we went off to do our own thing. I gave Publius a preview of what was involved in working and then we went off so he could buy earplugs and we could be shirts. Earplugs were free which was cool.
We headed down to get a good spot in the crowd just as the doors had opened. We were 2-4 people from the front and braced ourselves for a long night. They had blocked off one whole side of the stage and wouldn't let anyone to it until later in the night for some reason. The Sword came out and was really good. Then Machine Head wasn't as good. Two cute girls were next to us and one apparently kept looking at me, so Publiusd pulled that famous Barney move, excuse me - have you met Phil? As it turns out, I apparently look a lot like Rob, the lead singer of Machine Head - her favorite band and who she was there to see - and hence she kept glancing at me. In addition, a girl named KC behind us was from Buffalo but living in somewhere near Amsterdam for school. The first of the two Belgian girls was following Machine Head and the second seemed along for the ride - as much there for Metallica, I think, as Machine Head. The two Belgian girls will be in Paris, I think, so hopefully I'll see them there. Particularly since Publius won't be in Paris, it'll be nice to know someone.
During Machine Head two douchebags pushed a bunch of the girls out of the way to get in front, and were so tall no one could see. A guy next to me sorta forcefully ejected one of them and then we tried to get the other one out of the way. We failed, and eventually security came along. I kinda motioned to them the guy needed to go and they nodded, called some people over who didn't do anything. Lame.
Metallica played an awesome set. We got My Apocalypse, All Nightmare Long, Fight Fire With Fire, and even teased Suicide and Redemption. I had been hoping for Nightmare which is one of my favorite DM songs and went insane when they played it. Apocalypse was a totally unexpected bonus!
The crowd was fairly rough for a small in-the-round venue, but Publius didn't mind and neither did KC or the second Belgian girl. And of course, I'm used to it. The first Belgian girl (the Machine Head fan) bailed a few songs in. During Sandman I ran back to go be near the ball-drop points so I could try to get a beachball. I ran, fought, pulled and pushed but ultimately failed. Eventually I gave up and found Publius again, but managed to catch a pic. I then traded it for a beachball with a guy who had both a beachball and the same pic. Seemed odd, but I was happy since I already have that pic at home.
I was soaked thoroughly, my shirt was stretched into an XXXXXXXL or so, and I was exhausted. We chatted with the second Belgian chick, who, it turns out, is the girlfriend of one of Jeff's helpers that night, for a while until she went off to find her boyfriend. We then headed out to go find food. Another amazing show!