Do you know what today is the day?. April
21. Exactly
13 years ago Metallica played their first gig with the San Francisco Symphony
Orchestra. It
was the first of the two (the second took place a day later) concert at
Berkeley Community Theater in San Francisco. Although
this was not the first ever combination of rock music with a symphony orchestra
before, no one tried to collaborate with such a heavy music. Maestro
Michael Kamen has previously worked with Metallica with so-called “elevator
version” song Nothing Else Matters, which was released on single. Now, however,
it was not one piece but the whole album. Concerts
have been recorded and published in November 1999 as a S & M album. In my
view the versions of some songs with the orchestra sounds pretty good. The
best example is the opening song The Call of Ktulu - an epic work that dazzles
its monumentality. An
instrumental piece written in 1984 seems to be created to arrange it for
orchestra. As
you can imagine tickets for two concerts in San Francisco sold out very
quickly.
Two complimentary tickets from Tony Smith
Each of the fans at the Berkeley Community Theater in his seat (there
was only seating space, but the audience was more standing than sitting and
some came into the scene) found concert program
Concert program (easiest to find) from Berkeley Community Theater...
...and laminated pass for two nights
My tickets
from these concerts, I have bought from Tony Smith, a former tour manager of
Metallica and the first president of the official fan club. Currently,
tickets from these concerts very rarely appear in the sale. Better
looking case with programs that you can buy without much problem on eBay
(prices started from $ 30). Most
fans associate Metallica concerts with the orchestra only with those two shows
in San Francisco. Meanwhile,
the team promoting the album S&M play in November the same year two more
concerts.
ticket from 19 november 1999 show
Concert program (hardest to find) from Berlin Velodrom
Both led by maestro Michael Kamen with different orchestras. The
first concert was held November 19 in Berlin Velodrom hall with Berliner
Symphoniker. After the
concert was aftershow party with some band members. My
friends, who managed to get to this party mention many beers with Lars and pictures
with band members.
Invitation for Aftershow party...
...and promo sticker signed by Michael Kamen (RIP) and Jason Newsted
The last of the concerts took place four days later in New York's
Madison Square Garden, accompanied by the Orchestra of St. Luke. An
interesting fact is that this concert was recorded in its entirety - I remember
an auction on eBay which have been put up for sale three promo radio CD’s with recorded
whole concert. A ticket to
this concert is very hard to find. From
the entire set of four concerts the hardest to buy are ticket from Madison Square
Garden and the program from Berlin. Other
tickets and programs appear once or twice a year on eBay.
ticket from MSG ...You have to be lucky to find this one for sale
concert program from MSG with the Orchestra of St. Luke
