Warsaw 2014 Home Sweet Home

The Boys are back in town ....one of the huge billboards near my home

 

... Then it's time for a concert in Warsaw, my hometown. What could be cooler than a Metallica concert in my hometown?. Just a few days before the concert there were no signs that it will be special gig for me, what more I did not have wristband to the Snakepit, and I thought I'd spend the whole festival in the Golden Circle area, which was in Warsaw monstrous (money rule the world). Two days before the concert I got a text message from my friend that he may be able to get me on backstage as a guest. Finally on the day of the concert, after long nervous anticipation and uncertainty I have received a VIP laminate - my "golden ticket". A piece of plastic, so that all the doors were opened ... OK, maybe not all. This all seemed completely unrealistic for me.

On the red carpet

Kings of Life

I stood in the lobby where there were dressing rooms all bands. Episode 1: high five with Joey Belladonna and Frank Bello just before their show. Episode 2: short conversation and high five with Kvelertak members. Episode 3: Kirk with his bodyguard passing me ….this time I’m not trying to make high-five ….You know, his bodyguard looks like guy from Danzig song “Thirteen” “I was born to bring trouble wherever I’m at…”. I was moving all the time between the Golden Circle, Snakepit and backstage trying to see bands on stage and meet bands on backstage.Zawitałem więc do garderoby Kvelertaka, gdzie miałem okazję pogadać chwilę z zespołem, głównie z gitarzystą Maćkiem, który ma polskie korzenie.

Kvelertak live on stage

 

Scott Ian (Anthrax)

 

So, I had honor to visited Kvelertak dressing room, where I had the opportunity to talk briefly with the band, especially with guitarist Maciek, who has Polish roots.Ci goście rządzą. These guys RULE.Spędziłem też około 40 minut w garderobie Anthraxu. Gwóźdź programu miał jednak nadejść, o czym jeszcze nie wiedziałem. I also spent about 40 minutes in the Anthrax dressing room. Beer from Anthrax in their dressing room tasted better hahaha.

 

With Kvelertak. THANK YOU GUYS

But the best had to come.Tuż przed koncertem Metalliki postanowiłem sprawdzić, czy mój „złoty bilet” upoważnia mnie do wejścia na scenę. Just before the Metallica concert I decided to see if my "golden ticket" entitles me to enter the scene. It turned out that, YES. Not disturbed by anyone walked directly behind the stage and stood on the right side of the stage, next to Kirk.

 

View from stage just before Metallica hit the stage

 

The gig started and I still did not believe that this is happening. Watching the band and the concert from the perspective of the scene is a unique experience, for me it was something more than a meet & greet with Metallica a few years earlier. The team is at your fingertips. During the concert, the band members go through every moment beside you.

 

James

The Call of Kthulu

  

The Ripper

 

Because I knew what to expect at the concerts on this tour I've been waiting impatiently for Creeping Death, when the fans standing on the stage are invited to the edge of the stage where they can chant the famous Die, die, die ... ..

 

Die , die , die ....Kirk and I

Creeping Death Video from National Stadium. Recorded by Monica and Krzysztof

 

It was the moment I had been waiting probably the most. Standing on stage in front of a packed National Stadium and chants die die die .... it was something unreal, something best, what happened to me in the history of my concerts Metallica and it was my sixteenth Metallica concert. All good things come to an end. The concert has passed very quickly.

Seek and Destroyyyyyyy

I knew that after the concert will approach us band members to give us the guitar picks. It was the first time I did not have to fight for them in the crowd ... I got them personally from Kirk;).

Thank you Rysiu. Without you, my FRIEND, all this would not be possible. Many, many THANKS.

Below some stuff from concert:

 

ticket

Some wristbands and laminates pass

VIP package envelope and flyer

Pass sheet

Concert poster

 

 

 

 

 

Prague in heavy rain

After two years without Metallica live show I hit the road again ...for a mini tour ... OK, very, very mini tour, because only two concerts. The concert in Prague was the first of them. This was to be my second Metallica concert in Prague. The first time I was here in 2008, but then the concert held at the stadium. This year, the concert took place at the fairgrounds.

Old fairgrounds

concert poster

This day was to be unique. First, I had a Snakepit wristband, second....have to write it - the first time I was more waiting for support than headliner. It's about Kvelertak, Norwegian band that I discovered this year and that blew me. I really wanted to see their show from snakepit. I was not disappointed, and although not much understand of what they sing (sing in Norwegian), the fact is the energy emanating from the stage could be shared among a few bands.

 

Kvelertakkkkkk

 

 

pure energy

 

After the Norwegians played Children of Bodom. During their show I decided to walk around the festival area and see merchandise stands. Next band Alice in Chains gave a very nice, although a little static concert.

some Metallica merch

At this point I must add that during Alice In Chains show started to rain. The closer to the Metallica concert, the more rain. A little worried that because of the rain band will walk around snakepit or spend the entire show on stage. During the third song James walked in the pouring rain to the furthest microphone and wet already said "it's just water." It breathes energy in people, in a band ... in me. It was a magical moment and a magical evening in heavy rain.

 

magical night ....due to heavy rain

 

 

Musically, the biggest plus for me was playing St. Anger, which won as a "vote of the day" ... performed far from we can hear on album, but this song is now very rarely played live by band. Unforgiven II lost in the voting and a chance to play this song live by the band departed on time. Pros - amazing despite the rain or perhaps because of the atmosphere at the concert, three guitar picks, met a lot of friends. Cons - I could not get a poster of the concert, which really counted and no shirt Kvelertak, which I forgot to buy after the show.

ticket from Prague concert

 

some goodies from show

 

 

 

Horsens round my neck

I really don’t understand why Metallica not played St. Anger song in Horsens. This was a unique chance because place for that was almost perfect. If you recall where the band recorded the video for this song (San Quentin State Prison), it becomes obvious that state prison in Danish town Horsens where happened the concert in the day 6 June was an ideal place to play St. Anger. Scenery concert with the walls and prison building in the background were awesome.

St Anger round my neck...

I need a voice to let myself, to let myself go FREE

Venue map - page from concert program

For the second time on this tour I had the pleasure to be in snakepit. In comparison to the concert in Warsaw, the sound was worse but contact with the fans was much better. Practically all the time one of the band members was in snakepit. James, Kirk and Robert actually provoked by the fans to touch the guitar strings or even pants .... and I must say that touching a guitar when Kirk play’s solo is a pretty nice experience.

so close

For me  as the collector additionally important were also connected attractions like tickets, wristbands, posters, flyers etc. Tickets from this concert were very similar to these were which during five Metallica concerts in Copenhagen in 2009. So as on earlier concerts on this tour in stock were limited (to 200 copies) promotional posters (of course bought) and special limited to 250 copies posters commemorating the concert in Horsens. In my opinion this poster was a lot uglier than TBA poster and I did not buy it.

Horsens ticket

Snakepit wristbands

Limited to 200 copies TBA Horsens poster

For me the most cool thing if depends on memorabilia connected with Horsens is the classical concert-poster. In spite the quick rally across Horsens I did not see even one copy but thanks to the help of one of Danish friends from TMCC and few CD’s I am a happy owner of one of these beautiful posters.

Very cool concert poster from Horsens ...fastest sold out concert on TBA anniversary tour

Warsaw & Snakepit Rules

Warsaw Rules. These are the words of James after the Metallica concert at the Bemowo Airport May 10, 2012. And hard to disagree with those words. Although this was my 13 Metallica gig, is ranked very highly. There are several reasons but one of the most important - I got a Snakepit pass. Through a friend from TMCC who gave me and my buddy two passes we could spend a concert in the best place on earth that day - in snakepit. Thank You very much Erik and Astrid. Snakepit who returned to the tour after 20 years is a dream come true for any Metallica fan and give you a chance to be as close to the band as possible. Simply - Snakepit Rules.

Snakepit Rules

Landmine .....Taken my legs

About the same concert, so much has been written that will spare you my reflection. The best moments for me were "My Friend of Misery" (always really liked this piece), amazing lasers during ONE and Seek and Destroy .... I know most people cannot stand this song as the most frequently played at Metallica concerts, but for me this song is just the essence of their music and it's hard to imagine me without singing by fans Searchiiiiiiiiiiing Seek and destroyyyyyyyyy. Men it's fuckin classic.

Golden Circle and General Admision tickets

Tickets are not stunned, just the usual Eventim tickets, fortunately with the classic Metallica logo from the black album era. I thought the same way as on concert posters on the tickets will be the annotation (as it was for Prague tickets three days earlier) “Performing the legendary Black Album in it’s entirety”.

Concert poster from Warsaw show

At venue I bought an occasional and limited to 200 pieces promo poster on HQ paper and manually numbered by Pushead. Very HQ item, which will one day hang framed in my home on the wall. Fortunately, the organizers sold them along with the tube so I did not have to worry about what to do with him during the concert. By the way, I wonder if Hetfield standing at the farthest microphone in snakepit realized that five feet beneath his feet is a tube with my posters. I caught five guitar picks and small black beachball and it becomes clear that I came back from the airport Bemowo more than pleased.

HQ poster limited to 200 copies

7/200 ....lucky seven

Birth, School, Metallica, Death

Snakepit flower ....my goodies from gig

Good advice for all Metallica fans - if you have the possibility to appear in snakepit do everything to make it happen. Worth. In three weeks I go to another Metallica concert in Horsens (Denmark) and I've heard rumors that there waiting for me snakepit pass. See you.