Tuesday 1 November 2011

No,nothing else matters

I didn't believe in love,but the moment I heard,"I Disappear",I knew I was in love with Metallica.Yes,it was love at first sight(or hear,if you may),and I've looked back since.The more I listened to them,the more I fell in love.Initially,I didn't get what the songs meant,I just loved the riffs.
But as time grew,I could relate myself to what they were trying to say.James Hetfield,you are a fucking genius.I can't understand how you can come with something so brilliant and still convey it with such ease.Not to take away any credit from Kirk Hammett,Lars,Cliff Burton,probably one of the best bass players,then the man who had to fill into the shoes of that person,Jason Newsted and of course,Robert Trujilo as well.

Anyway,its almost 12 years into this relationship and up and until the first 5-6 years,I thought listening to them was the best thing.It was then that I saw a couple of videos from S&M,that I realized,listening to them is nowhere close to the experience of watching them play.And eversince that day,there hasn't been a single day of my life where I haven't thought of them playing here in India.

I still remember having a discussion with my friend after watching a Big 4 video and my friend cribbing about the fact that how they'll never come to India.And to my amazement,just a week later,Robert Trujilo,uttered the words that I'd been dying to hear,".. and we'll be doing a gig in India".The following few days were just anxious waiting for confirmation on the news.And yes,this was no rumor as their website officially confirmed a tour in the "Uncharted Territory".
30th October was marked as my date with destiny.And the build up was nothing less than the gig itself,with friends sharing song of the day,cubicles overflowing with Metallica print-outs,frantic searching for t-shirts,bus tickets,plane tickets,deciding the place to stay,journey from the place to the venue.

28th October 2011 : Metallica cancels gig at Delhi,due to safety concerns.
Friends calling,depressed,nervous if Bangalore is going to the same as well.But me,I am all happy.
Why ? Because I wanted to attend THE FIRST GIG by Metallica in India,and with this news,I would be doing exactly that.(Am I Evil ? .. Yes I am !)

30th October 2011,D-Day and we were at the location and still hours before the gates would actually open,but who gave a fuck?Hours of pushing-shoving-false alarms of Metallica van-TV interviews later the gates were finally opened and we rushed as close as to the stage as we can.
After some "Safety First" tips came Inner Sanctum,and man were they good.Awesome beginning to the show.
Then came the party spoiler,whom I wont even mention.An hour later it was time of Biffy Clyro to awaken the dead crowd.And that they did to perfection.Ah,awesome music,rains and head-banging,it just kept getting better.But with all due respect Biffy Clyro,you played one too many songs!
Around 6.30,Biffy Clyro ends its setlist,signing off by saying,"15 years ago,we attended a gig at Glasgow and we saw Metallica perform,and it made us pick up the guitar and start making music"(Respect sir !)

Then came a Shinning White ESP Explorer,and was she sexy !And slowly the whole Metallica setup was on stage.Sound check in progress and we couldn't wait to just get a glimpse of them.30 mins .. 1 hour still no sign of them.Crowds getting restless.Fatigue starting to build up.Patience at stake !My friend turns up to me and says,how much more longer ?,and all I could say was,I've waited 12 years for this,I can wait more :)
People chanting swears.An hour and a half,and still no sign of them,and my friend turns up to me again,"Dude,now even you must be pissed !",and all I did was smile.

And then suddenly the screens lit up,I see Eli Wallach,yes its Ecstasy Of Gold.Yes,they are here !
30th October 2011,at around 8.00 pm,was the moment my dream was realized.Yes,I was there.To that sweet symphony,I saw 4 men walk onto the stage.This is no dream,this is my reality !
At that moment,Nothing Else Mattered.

And without wasting any time,they started off with Creeping Death.Drums which made my heart resonate on its beats,bass lines which hit me like a wall,solos that gave me a high,heavy riffs which made my head bang and lyrics which made me yell out of top of my voice,and I had officially attained Nirvana.There cannot be a more divine feeling than this for me.
With each song,the crowd kept getting louder and Metallica started getting happier.Oh I wasn't the only one in love at that moment.The whole place was in love.And Metallica sure as hell was in love with us.
Those 2.5 hrs were probably the best 2.5 hrs I've ever spent.If I could,I'd just stay there,forever.I had witnessed my Gods,live,playing the songs I've grown up listening to,with the people I've grown up,listening them with.Words cannot do justice to that day.

We didn't want them to go,neither did they want to leave us,such was our bond within those 2.5 hrs.If that isn't love,then what is ?

"So close,no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever Trusting who we are
No,nothing else matters"


                       3.50 - 5.40 : This memory shall always remain !

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