BUFFALO, NY- The impact that Metallica has had on the medium of metal has been monumental. Formed back in 1981, when bubblegum pop and hair metal were beginning to dominate the mainstream market, Metallica emerged and thankfully curb-stomped these two mediocre genres into virtual irrelevance.

Their debut album, Kill ‘Em All, is widely regarded as the birth of an entirely new and more aggressive form of metal: thrash metal. Metallica’s hard-hitting, unapologetically bone-shattering sound was the saving grace for any teenager stuck in the same shitty loop of angst and anger back in the early ’80s. Tracks like “Whiplash” and “Hit the Lights” are so chalked full of heavy-ass hooks and riffs that it would make any metal/punk fan want to “bang [their] head against the stage like [they’ve] never [had] before”. 37 years have passed since the debut of that adrenaline-filled masterpiece and they made their triumphant return to Buffalo’s Key Bank Center on October 27th, 2018.

Announcing their “World Wired Tour” a couple of months back, Metallica gave the city of Buffalo a masterclass in heavy metal tenacity that many will surely not forget for quite some time. A city known for its own rich history of metal back when the genre was at the height of its popularity, I was not the least bit surprised to see that the stadium of 18,000 sold out well waaaay in advance.

As hundreds upon hundreds of fans made their way down the city’s overcrowded streets, you could feel the excitement and electricity in the air as you got closer to the stadium. Many were going to be able to relive the glory days of their youth by watching a nostalgic and hard-nosed show courtesy of Metallica. Observing the stands become more and more filled by the minute, I could not help but notice just how wide of an age demographic there was in attendance. It was great to see an audience of all ages, which showed just how much of an impact Metallica has had on past, present, and future generations to come.

Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Setlist.

At around 9:15, the lights dimmed down and the intro to Ennio Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold” began to blare throughout the venue. A spotlight hit the tunnel nearest to the stage and Metallica came charging out to an earsplitting eruption of sound from the stadium. Standing high atop the raised stage, the dudes immediately kicked shit up with “Hardwired” from their 2016 LP Hardwired…to Self-Destruct. Almost every hand in the room went up in unison with the universal handle sign for “rock & roll” as Metallica banged away.

After their opening, James Hetfield addressed the crowd by assuring them Metallica’s setlist would comprise of new and old tracks which would surely deliver on all their expectations. From there, Hetfield and the guys really delved deep into their discography pulling out all the stops.

For me, the first highlight of their set had to be during their third song, “Seek & Destroy”, when Kirk Hammet’s guitar solo came in and the giant LED cubes hanging above dropped down beside the band. Displaying sick graphics that ranged from iconic live performances to album art, Metallica easily had the crowd of 18,000 strong engaged throughout. Witnessing these legends perform was an absolute blast, especially when the last couple of songs was a collection of tracks from Master of Puppets. Nothing could compare to their encore though; when they finished out with “Enter Sandman”……damn. It was the perfect way to end a more than a stellar display of nostalgia and all-around badassery.

Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18 making a donation to Food Bank of WNY.

Before the guys took center stage to melt some faces, Metallica helped raise $10,000 for the Food Bank of WNY (Western New York) through their charitable organization All Within My Hands Foundation. Not only does this show the band’s philanthropic side, but also shines a light on how these metal icons truly care about their fans and the community surrounding them.

Follow Metallica on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.
Metallica @ Keybank Center 10/27/18. Photo by Jackson Fleming (@JacksonHFleming) for www.BlurredCulture.com.

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