Osnabrück - Halle Gartlage; 8 December '84

They say that dreams do come true and it's true. In 1984, Metallica spent a summer in Europe at various festivals and late autumn after the release of the album Ride the Lightning held its first major European Tour with Tank as a support band. German part of a tour, which included seven concerts  was promoted by Sunrise agency. This agency is responsible for the beautiful tickets and promotional posters on this Tour. From the first time many years ago I saw one of those concert posters I wanted to have one of them. I finally did it. I am a happy owner of a poster from a concert that took place in Halle Gartlage in Osnabrück.

I watched it at ebay for some time but both the condition of the poster (it was folded into several parts) and its price (almost $ 100) deterred me for a long time. As can be seen not very effective when I decided to buy it. The truth is that through all the years since I collect the tickets and posters, this was only the second poster from Sunrise series up for sale (second one from Nuremberg, cost five times more) and it was clear to me that I need to hurry up and eventually buy it otherwise I'll be waiting another few years until the opportunity comes along. My hunches were right because I was not only bidder. For me it is all the more valuable acquisition due to the fact that I have in my collection ticket from this concert.

As it turned out poster is not at all in such bad condition as could be inferred by photos. The poster along with a ticket as one of my favorite duos in my collection.

One concert - different tickets

My collection increased just for the ticket from the concert in Dortmund (autumn-winter tour 1992) and would be in this nothing special because I have already in my collection the ticket from this concert. Easy, I’m not at the point where I buy doubles or triples copy of the same ticket. I wanted to have this ticket resolved the fact that he looked otherguess than that which I already have. Because ticket had additionally interesting design I thought that would be cool to have this ticket in my collection.

Old one at top and new addiction below ....both nice

I remember the situation of which I witnessed during my second meeting with the band in 2009 in Vienna. Already then as the collector I adverted on  tickets of remaining fans, because my personal ticket on this concert did not belong unfortunately to too interesting. Most stranger was for me the fact that from about 20 persons waiting for Metallica had been about 8 different examples of tickets !!!. Besides most popular tickets from Eventim were also tickets bought at national distributors in Germany, Bulgaria, Czech Republic etc.  In the situation when lucky winners on meet & greet consisted of representatives of several European countries and every from them bought the ticket at his own national distributor should not surprise the fact so many different examples of tickets on one concert.

 In the 80’s and at the beginning of the 90’s (in times before the Internet) all tickets at concerts were the same. Of course, I remember single situations when on one or two Metallica shows at the beginning of 80’s were two different tickets but this were single situations. Internet and buying on-line brought to the situation that we dealt with  many different tickets. Much „worse” the matter looks with e-tickets  -  tickets sent to buyers as a file in PDF format to printing on the home printer.

Printed e-ticket ....nightmare of every ticket collector

and hard ticket from the same show ....a little bit nicer, but still far from my TOP wanted

In times of the computerization and the standardization of tickets gladdens the fact that in some countries (like in Poland) comes back to the sale of short limited series of collecting tickets with very nice design (sad that not comes with Metallica tickets).

 Below some twins pairs …You can call them Dr. Jackyl and Mr. Hyde

1996 Load Tour

Summer 1997 Festival

1999 Garage Inc Tour

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.

Black Album live premiere

Today, Metallica started (in Prague at Synot Tip Arena) their European summer tour during which the band will be played live (for the first time ever) whole the legendary Black Album. Today also came to me a very nice ticket from 1991. And I cannot be called except by the hand of fate because it is a ticket from the first concert was to promote the Black Album. The concert was held on August 1, 1991 in Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma (California), and during this concert Enter Sandman and Sad but true were first played live. I admit that secretly I was hoping that purchased a few days ago ticket from that show will come to me just today on the European premiere of the Black Album live .... and it happened.

Beginning of world domination

I have to wait another three days to May 10, when Metallica will play in Warsaw Bemowo Airport whole Black Album live too, where waits for me the front row .... and maybe even Snakepit (... Oh please God help me).

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

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.