The Second Part of the Weekend...

Sunday was rugby and Metallica day.

Watching us draw with Ireland was painful. We had chances to put the game away and could not do so. Why did we feel the need to kick the ball to them all, especially with a malfunctioning lineout. Crazy. At least we did not lose but I think we missed a golden chance to crack the Grand Slam...still, not losing is OK considering the rest of the year.

Then, lunch with friends before I headed into New York for Metallica at the Garden. Met Tim before the show at a bar nearby - "Stout" and proceeded to slam beers. Then Tim suggested we try a high alcohol beer - "Delerium", which was a Belgian Ale showing an alcohol content of 8.5%. Now my goal was to get smashed before the show...but I did not want to spend the show running back and forth to relieve myself so this provided the perfect vehicle. The beer was actually pretty good, it reminded me of a wheat beer. Pretty easy to drink. So 6 of these, a couple of Harps, 3 shots of Jager and then another beer at MSG and I was good and ready for the show...

...and WHAT a show it was. Two hours of intensity, great songs and headbanging. I have a large bruise on my left palm...I am assuming it is from punching it during the show. They played a bunch of classics along with their new stuff, no problems at all with the set list, would love to see them again but I think their tour is wrapping up. The stage configuration was interesting as well. Stage was in the middle of the floor with microphones all around so at times you would have them right in fron of you and then they would rotate things around. Had the effect of making you feel more a part of the action as there was always something happening right in front of you. The crowd was awesome and were totally into the whole experience. Show highlights for me were "The Shortest Straw"; "Fade To Black"; "Broken, Beat And Scarred"...but no dead spots at all.

For posterity and for any interested fans out there, their set list was:

That Was Just Your Life
The End Of The Line
Creeping Death
The Shortest Straw
Fade To Black
Broken, Beat And Scarred
My Apocalypse
Sad But True
One
The Judas Kiss
The Day That Never Comes
Master Of Puppets
Dyers Eve
Nothing Else Matters
Enter Sandman
Encore:
Last Caress (Misfits cover)
Trapped Under Ice
Seek & Destroy