Review: Metallica omits its biggest hit on first night of Levi's Stadium stand

San Francisco Chronicle​

21-06-2025

Is a Metallica concert in 2025 complete without 'Enter Sandman'?
The fans gathered at Levi's Stadium for the chilly first night of an epic weekend residency didn't seem to notice its omission. With a full clip of metal classics stretching more than four decades, a stadium full of black-clad day-ones and their offspring, and a 'no repeats' setlist in place across two nights, Metallica's signature hit took a rare night off.
Still, Metallica's Friday night, 16-song set was career-spanning, touching upon multiple eras. They turned back the clock to 1983 with thrash metal templates 'Hit the Lights' and 'Seek and Destroy.' Well-oiled headbangers 'Creeping Death,' 'Sad But True' and 'Battery' inspired hearty chants. Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett even shouted out the local metal community, specifically the burgeoning RBS movement led by Sunami, Drain, Scowl and others.
'The Bay Area is so metal,' said Hammett.
Singer and guitarist James Hetfield, too, flexed his regional knowledge, confidently bellowing 'Santa Clara' as opposed to 'San Francisco' like other headliners. At 61, he still cuts an imposing figure, looking clean and lean in tough leathers. His voice possesses a hefty gruff, chewing up and spitting out lyrics like gristle.
'I have the best job in the world,' Hetfield said, as he surveyed the masses.
Openers Ice Nine Kills and Limp Bizkit were a mixed bag. Ice Nine Kills, a metalcore band with a theatrical bent and saxophone, were enthusiastic but more appropriate for dark theaters than late afternoon sunlight. Limp Bizkit fared better with a nostalgic set of millennial rap-rock hits like 'Nookie,' 'My Way' and 'Break Stuff.' Lead singer Fred Durst commented that while serving his country at the Alameda Naval Air Station in the late '80s, he'd often go to shows at the Warfield and the Fillmore.
For the main event, Metallica commanded attention using an innovative circular stage that stretched the stadium floor approximately between the 30-yard markers. The intention was for all sections to have the feeling of the band performing right in front of you.
And for extended moments, that felt true. The group periodically moved counter-clockwise to perform in each quadrant over the two-hour set. Even Lars Ulrich's drum kit was mobile, disappearing underneath the stage and reappearing in a different spot. Other times, Hetfield, Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo would splay out across the stage to connect with fans. Speakers were suspended above the stage in a unique trussing system, giving everyone a clear vantage point.
That said, the newfangled stage takes some getting used to. When the band was in close quarters performing right in front of you, the show fulfilled its stated mission. But as they circulated to opposite ends, it gave flashbacks to the rotating stage concept at the old Circle Star Theater in San Carlos.
To keep up, fans would rely on the eight 360-degree video screens perched overhead on top of towers. Sometimes the video director went overboard with the quick cuts, close-ups and special effects when all you wanted to see was four-on-the-stadium-floor action. The two main jumbotron video boards were turned off for the entirety of the show.
Meanwhile, those who shelled out for 'Snake Pit' passes got more than their money's worth. The pit is the filet mignon-like area inside the circular stage. The standing-room-only experience gave diehards the sweaty intimacy they craved for a premium price ($2000 for both nights). During 'Sad But True,' bassist Rob Trujillo rode a platform that crowd-surfed through the pit.
Outside of the pit, the general admission floor teemed with folks pressed up against the stage barrier, with up to seven moshpits breaking out in different spots. At the other end of the price spectrum, the view from the upper deck seats (starting at $60, a bargain for a show of this magnitude) was all-encompassing and loud, a decent experience for the price despite the windy conditions — pack a jacket.
The band rewarded the audience's decades-long faith with a few special moments. The stage crew plucked a young kid on stage to count off 'Seek and Destroy' ('Do you have the album 'Kill Em All'? Can I borrow it?' asked Hetfield). Hammett and Trujillo debuted 'Primo,' an impromptu bluesy jam. Large, very un-metal Metallica beach balls were set loose towards the end of the show. 'The Day That Never Comes' from the 2023 album '72 Seasons' showed the group's ability to introduce new material without sacrificing momentum, Hetfield beginning the song on a stool then rising like a phoenix to finish it off.
Two songs in particular stood out given current events. 'King Nothing' felt kismetic given the recent 'No Kings' protests ('Just want one thing/ Just to play the king/ But the castle's crumbled/ And you're left with just a name'). The anthemic set closer 'Master of Puppets' was equally prescient and cataclysmic. A song about drug addiction, the crowd participated in primal scream therapy — chanting 'Master! Master!' with vigor — an activity that Hetfield encouraged early on and hopefully carries on to Sunday night and beyond.
'I hope you came here to do the same thing I did, which is to get all the ugly crap out,' he said. 'Get it out, leave it right here, and breathe in all the good stuff, alright? We're here to make you feel good.'
Setlist:
'Creeping Death'
'Harvester of Sorrow'
'Hit the Lights'
'King Nothing'
'72 Seasons'
'If Darkness Had a Son'
'Primo (Kirk and Rob doodle)'
'The Day That Never Comes'
'Cyanide'
'Orion'
'Nothing Else Matters'
'Sad but True'
'Battery'
'Fuel'
'Seek & Destroy'
'Master of Puppets'