S&M

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

Four nights at the Fillmore

Two months ago at The Fillmore in San Francisco were four anniversary concerts of the 30th anniversary of Metallica. Everyone who turns in the world of Metallica know that these concerts are a dream come true for any Metallica fan. This time the problem was not the price of tickets, which amounted to $ 19.81 for four tickets to all four nights (price of tickets referred to the year of foundation of the band) but lucky in the lottery. I had no luck and the only thing left to do is follow me celebrate the 30th anniversary of relations between the band's official website and through dozens of videos on You Tube thrown by the lucky fans who were in Fillmore.

Four tickets from four nights at the Fillmore

In the situation when I myself could not be at the concerts, the priority for me was to get used tickets to all four nights. Tickets for each night had the same design but different in color and were definitely hard to get. I was secretly hoping that one of the friendly members of TMCC who frequently come to the Fillmore (orange shirts rule) will help me get tickets and I was right. With the help of four people (Mike, Christian, Terrence and Terry - thank you very much) I am a happy owner of a set of tickets from the Fillmore, including one signed by the first bassist - Ron MacGovney.

Ron MacGovney signing my ticket ...pic by Twerry (thanks dude)

Looking for tickets at the right angle you can see on them printed lyrics of Metallica songs. On each ticket are other songs lyrics but I did not notice the relationship between the set list and a ticket of the day.

Dear Mother, Dear Father.....

Immediately after the concerts you could quite easily buy tickets on eBay, which makes me a little bit surprised because I thought that only “real fans” were at these historic shows and no one will want to sell their tickets. I was wrong. Initially, their prices were at $ 60-70 for a single ticket and about $ 180-200 per set. Over time, prices have dropped and you could buy single tickets at $ 30-40. Now, three months after the shows we do not find the tickets already on sale