On Tuesday, November 21st, it was announced that Metallica would be the feature music act that regularly caps off Blizzard Entertainment’s annual convention known as “Blizzcon.” Historically, we have seen multiple different styles of music and various levels of quality from the bands they bring, but before we even begin to discuss if Metallica will make a positive or negative impact, take a moment to remember the previous year.
The 2013 Blizzcon was easily the most exhilarating for me, and despite having tickets and not going, I have never been more happy with a purchase. Every ounce of what they announced about WoD and Hearthstone really made my heart skip a beat. The entire weekend was flush with excitement, and even the costume contest was amazing. Well, when I said the entire weekend….
Minus Blink182.
If you didn’t see their performance, I strongly urge you not to. Its better off. I’ll summarize: Immature mom jokes, 1990s references, comments made about WoW without any actual knowledge, and mediocre performances of decent (at best) songs.
So…
Metallica, you say? Perhaps it will be the same thing again, or perhaps this will be vintage Metallica, tearing down the house.
The previous band to visit Blizzcon, the Foo Fighters, did a spectacular job of getting the crowd involved without cheap jokes and attempts at humor surrounding a game they know nothing about. In fact, they only time the subject was addressed it was to rile up the fans, not insult them as Blink182 did. But what does James Hetfield know about Blizzard games, or any games for that matter?
Well who really knows, but the point isn’t who they are or what they might say this time. Its what they might PLAY.
You see, Foo Fights, Blink182, even Tenacious D… Past bans were solid groups, and even at their worst, played the music they came to play. But the difference this time, at least for me, is this very thing.
On this front, Metallica might as well be three separate bands. They have had their roots / super heavy years early in their career, the middle “pop-metal” years marred with controversy, and their “grandfather metal” years of recent where they essentially rely on Kirk Hammett to carry an entire album and then just throw whatever comes to mind in as lyrics.
Its been up, down, up, down, and really down for this band, but I remain a VERY firm believer that Metallica as individuals making a whole are some of the most powerful performers today.
They have the power to do it, but if they play all the crap from their new albums, its just going to be a disaster. Realistically, a niche concert like this is going to have more of their classics, despite their tendencies to stay away from them now-a-days.
My ideal set list would be as follows:
1. ONE – In case you aren’t aware, this is the reason the guild is called so. It wasn’t my decision, but our first GM thought it was a sinister enough song and title to create an entire community around it. Its the perfect song to open with, and they have done so many times. Often, James enters after a few repetitions through the intro riffs and the energy gets heavy quick.
2. For Whom the Bell Tolls – This is from their way back days and is near the pinnacle of their songwriting IMO. Its extremely unlikely they will play it, but I want them to so bad because it really encapsulates the theme of Warlords of Draenor. It feels, like ONE, as a true metal song about war should.
– Set break. They will talk, and make some jokes likely to no avail. But whatever, back to music.
3. Master of Puppets – A classic and probably overplayed, and once again from their early years. Another song that is perfect for WoD, and one they do well in their later years. Lots of room for improv here.
4. Battery – Another amazing song about a theme that fits really well with this expansion. Not at all a long shot, as with the addition of Robert Trujillo, it seemed to be the second coming of the power riff for this band’s bass slot. Check out the Audition/ Interview if you have never seen it.
5. Fade to Black OR Nothing Else Matters – They cap off a lot of short shows with either of these songs, and frankly they play neither very well any more, but its fine. I think these are the ideal songs to end a show like this… or is it the end…
ENCORE!
6. Enter Sandman – The classic Metallica song. Their first huge hit in the middle years, and arguably their most explosive performance song. This IS the encore, so you can expect to see it one way or another. Frankly, Mariano Rivera is why I love this song now and always.
So what are the odds? Crazy low, but I am a man who makes predictions, so get used to it! Even if they play one of these songs, I’ll be happy. Hey, maybe even play of Wolf and Man for those Worgen out there!
Metallica’s new stuff post 2002 isn’t very electric, so if they fill an entire set with nothing but the new stuff I wouldn’t expect to get much from the crowd. Hopefully they realize that. If they do, it will be an amazing show.
I’ve felt metal is better suited to Blizzcon for a while, and would rate these guys close to the best pick they can get for a convention like that. For the record, my number 1 is Red Hot Chili Peppers, but let’s hope Metallica can deliver! See you there!