A few months ago, I wrote a piece about the rumours of Metallica headlining the Other Stage and the stupidity of that as a notion. Well, since that piece, Metallica were confirmed as headliners, but for the whole festival. Playing the legendary slot on the Saturday night on the Pyramid. As I'm writing this, they have just finished.
I, for one, was pleasantly surprised with their reaction and I'm glad I was. Glastonbury took to Metallica like any other headliner, singing along the whole time, and get involved in the crowd participation. Unlike the set at Sonisphere that they'll be playing next weekend, they made sure all the hits and known songs were aired and enjoyed. From 'Wherever I May Roam' to 'Enter Sandman' culminating in a massive 'Seek & Destroy' Metallica completely owned Worthy Farm. Playing at the same time as Mogwai, Jake Bugg, Bryan Ferry & MGMT, there was a lot of variety on, from nostalgia, to folk, to instrumental and party atmospheres, Metallica pulled an impressive crowd. With all the controversy about them playing, Metallica pulled a massive crowd and played an amazing set which will have left them happy as well as the Glastnobury goers, who aren't the typical Metallica fans. They came in with controversy and left having slated the hardest crowd they'd ever have to play to. Will this change Michael Eavis' mind about who he books in the future? I hope so, as the festival needs more variety, and why should it always be mainstream. Metallica have shown that a metal band can be accepted at a festival like Glastonbury and can conquer it. The fact that they completed their set with little to no gimmicks as well, is very impressive. They came on, plugged in and smashed Glastonbury, like a proper rock band should be able to do. Turn up at any venue, plug in and proceed to smash it.
Metallica are a brand, and that brand is world famous now. After headlining Glastonbury, one of the last things on their bucket list, they're allowed to say that they've headlined all but one major festival in the UK and the only one they've not done is V Festival, which they're not applicable for. Lars has stated that the band want to play the Superbowl and the Academy Awards Ceremony. There's also the matter of that new album in the pipeline. Whatever they choose to do, I am interested in seeing them carry on conquering the world.
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