Watch Metallica 'Whiplash' and 'Creeping Death' at first show in two years

In front of just 500 fans

Metallica perform 'Whiplash'
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 24th Sep 2021

Metallica have shared professionally filmed footage of two songs from their first live show in front of an audience in 738 days.

The heavy metal titans played a surprise hometown show at San Francisco’s 500-capacity club The Independent last Thursday night (16th September). It was Metallica’s first concert in front of a crowd since their two S&M2 shows at the San Francisco Chase Center in September 2019.

Metallica kicked off their performance in San Francisco with fearsome ‘Kill ‘Em All’ classic ‘Whiplash’, and it was the first time the song has ever been played as a set opener.

Later on in the set, Lars, James, Robert and Kirk tore through seminal 'Ride The Lightning' track 'Creeping Death.'

A week on from the show, Metallica have now shared pro-shot footage of both songs, which you can watch right here:

Metallica played 16 songs at The Independent including 'Ride The Lightning', 'Sad But True', 'Fade To Black', 'Master of Puppets' and 'Seek & Destroy'. It was the first show in a decade that ‘Enter Sandman’ and ‘Nothing Else Matters’ were omitted from a full Metallica concert setlist.

Following the performance, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich wrote on Instagram: “Back at it after two long years! So f---in psyched to share an on stage experience and connect to others thru live music again. San Francisco, thanx for rolling out… Cya in December at Chase Center for the 40th shenanigans.”

On Monday night (20th September), Metallica played a second surprise show at the Metro in Chicago in front of 1,100 fans.

Metallica play two sold out 40th anniversary shows at the San Francisco Chase Center on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th December 2021.

They play a series of European festivals in summer 2022 including the inaugural Download Festival Germany.

Metallica's setlist in San Francisco:

1) Whiplash

2) Ride The Lightning

3) The Memory Remains

4) Now That We’re Dead

5) Holier Than Thou

6) No Leaf Clover

7) Sad But True

8) Moth Into Flame

9) Fade To Black

10) For Whom The Bell Tolls

11) Creeping Death

12) One

13) Master Of Puppets

Encore:

14) Battery

15) Fuel

16) Seek & Destroy

Rock stars when they were young:

Metallica's Lars Ulrich


Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong


My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way


Foo Fighters' and Nirvana legend Dave Grohl


blink-182's Travis Barker


Dio and Black Sabbath frontman Ronnie James Dio


Courtney Love


Nickelback's Chad Kroeger


Queen's Freddie Mercury


Alice Cooper


Nirvana's Kurt Cobain


Bon Jovi's Jon Bon Jovi


Metallica's Kirk Hammett


Slayer's Tom Araya


Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson


Aerosmith's Steven Tyler


Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis


The Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan


Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose


KISS's Gene Simmons


The late great Eddie Van Halen


Original AC/DC frontman Bon Scott


Jimi Hendrix


David Bowie


Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant


The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards


Led Zeppelin's John Bonham


The Who's Roger Daltrey


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