Hammersmith Odeon 1988

27 years ago, Oct. 9, 1988, Metallica played their first of three concerts at London's Hammersmith Odeon. Metallica was during the European leg of the Damaged Justice Tour and in the second half of September they arrived to Great Britain and Ireland where they had to play 14 gigs in total. Originally band planned two concerts in London – those were the last two concerts on the Isles. But the concerts were so popular that both were sold out much earlier. In this case, the promoter decided to organize a third extra Hammersmith Odeon concert. So Metallica played at the Hammersmith three nights in a row. The following three tickets of these concerts and original flyer comes from my collection. Poster, fully signed by whole band is owned by Chris from TMCC. Still looking for this one.

Three nights in a row

Flyer from UK Tour

Poster from Hammersmith Odeon (owned by Chris from TMCC)

Hungarian Metallica tickets 1988-2010

Just before Easter, I was able to get a ticket from a concert in Budapest in 1991. I thought that cool would be to write something about Metallica tickets from concerts that took place in Hungary.  I checked my collection and found that this last „Hungarian” ticket whose it was lacking in my collection. This also prompted me to write the following text.

“Please wear low-heeled shoes to protect the grass.”

1988

The first concert in Hungary was September  11, 1988 and this was the first concert during the European Damaged Tour. During this tour Metallica promoted their  new album …And Justice For  All and in Budapest band performed for the first time Eye Of The Beholder, Blackened,… And Justice For All and One. The ticket from concert is very rare and difficulty to find in good condition because was printed on the thin paper. Every copy without tears, bends and stains is a good hit. Unfortunately my copy will not surrender to classify as the good hit. One of the Metallica fans from Hungary of whom I have this ticket was very nice and translated to me the original Hungarian text printed at the ticket. Part of this text reads “Please wear low-heeled shoes to protect the grass.”

The world domination was yet to come

1991

Metallica returned to Hungary three years later during the huge tour Monsters Of Rock 1991 when they supported AC/DC. For me to find and get this ticket it was a pain in the ass.  This was first time when I saw this ticket in stock and I knew that I could not squander such opportunity. On the most of European tickets from this tour AC/DC logo is this which dominates in the graphic design of the ticket and the Metallica name was mentioned lower-case letters - on this ticket You don’t find Metallica name at all. The world domination was yet to come.

Gold logo rules

1993

When in 1993 I was in Bratislava (Slovakia) on my own first Metallica concert, I was not conscious that only just the day later band plays concert not distant Budapest. The show was part of  Nowhere Else then Roam Tour which was a last leg of the mammoth tour promoting Metallica bestselling album till now - Black Album. For me this is the nicest ticket from Hungarian concerts. The golden Metallica logo does the really large impression. Two or three years ago in the short time several these tickets appeared in stock on ebay, but generally one does not see their too often on sale.

Mint and unused since 1999

1999

The next ticket  dated  1999 is from the Garage Inc. Tour.  On the ticket so as on the most of tickets from the European leg of this world tour is visible the photo from the Garage Inc. album cover.  This ticket was for sale on ebay for a long time in the set with other tickets from this Tour. And though the price of the set was a bit high then the middle price for the ticket went out rather little. Very nice, unused ticket with great design.

At least it has classic Metallica logo

2010

The last Metallica concert in Hungary was in 2010. Like all previous held in Budapest.  I got this ticket from other Metallica tickets collector. Since this is ticket from Eventim, this is not surprising that the ticket design is not very interesting and limited to basic information about the event. The only advantage, in contrast to many other tickets from the same tour is to put on the ticket classic Metallica logo.

All together now. Different years - various sizes

Schleyer Halle 1988-2009

In the last week the postman brought me two very cool Metallica concert posters. When buying them, I wanted to create a set together with the tickets. It worked because the tickets and posters have common features - town and the hall where concerts were held – Schleyer Halle, Stuttgart in Germany.  The indoor arena was built in 1983, the year before the first Metallica visit in Germany but in 1984, band not filled the hall to 15,000 people. The Four Horsemens gave their first concert in the Schleyer Halle in November 1988 during the European Damaged Tour. Unfortunately I have no ticket and poster from that concert.

from my "Wanted" list. This one above found on ebay

 Another Metallica concert in the Schleyer Halle took place during the Wherever we may roam Tour in the winter of 1992. Metallica was at the peak of its popularity. Black album, black shirts, black poster and black concert tickets. The black design is characteristic for the most of the tickets and posters from the German part of the tour. Paradoxically, a ticket from Stuttgart has a different design and my copy bears the sign of the times - the original color was not too much. In the case of a poster, at first glance it seems that there is nothing but a black color, but at the right angle you can see the team logo and two snakes.

1992 ticket

Back in black - poster from 1992 concert

For the next visit Metallica fans in Stuttgart had to wait 4 years. The specificity of the venue forced the organization of concerts held in the winter. Next stop in Stuttgart was in 1996 during the Poor Touring Me Tour. Metallica's new image of the musicians was reflected in the design of European concert tickets and posters from this period. Just in case the ticket from 1996 Stuttgart is not what we call “picture ticket” but most other European tour tickets shown photo from Load album booklet. We see them on posters promoting the concert. With this ticket related to some kind of story - because it was the first Metallica ticket purchased by me on eBay.  

My very first ticket from ebay (above) with backstage pass (below)

Poster from 1996 concert. Most of the European tickets had design like this poster.

Photo stolen from ebay

Metallica's last performance so far in the Schleyer Halle was a concert that took place during World Magnetic Tour in 2009. All German posters on this tour have the same design. My poster is pretty huge and in perfect condition but the ticket shows signs of damage.

...blood sweat and tears. Ticket from 2009 show...

...and huge poster (80 x 60 cm)

Finally, I would write something about the origins of the name of the hall. Not everyone can know that the arena was named for Hanns Martin Schleyer, a German Employer Representative, and former SS officer and Nazi activist, who was kidnapped and killed by the terrorist Red Army Fraction.