A lot has happened in the world of Metallica since they graced our shores back in 2004. They have appeared on The Simpsons. They have toured for the 20th anniversary of Master of Puppets, playing the entire album start to finish. They have released a new album to critical acclaim and widespread positivity. They have done escape tours, US tours and European tours. But they have not come to Australia. Over the years it had hinted at a possible tour of Australia, but nothing was ever set in stone or taken too seriously until an official announcement. This official announcement was made towards the end of April this year. It was greeted with shock, excitement, emotion and a steely resolve that this would be a tour I would never forget.

After the memorable success of our previous adventure in 2004, taking in 3 Big Day Outs and three arena shows, the Tango to my Cash, Sam, and I decided that we indeed had to do it again and then some. It was easy for us to commit to doing every Metallica show on the next tour. We even got as deluded to say we would goto New Zealand and Japan. But those ideas changed when the realities of life appeared. So we focussed on what we could do. What we were going to do. What was our fate.

The announcement of a tour to Australia was read and double-read to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I scoured each bit of information. They were to start the tour on October 18 in Brisbane and end on November 18 in Melbourne. All up there were eight shows were announced over the month long period. It didn’t take a genius to gather the four horseman of awesome would announce extra gigs. Me and Sam debated wether it would be more in each city or only the east coast. Regardless, I took a day off work and sat myself down in front of my computer on the morning of 04 May. I had printed out and stuck on the wall the MetClub presale codes that Sam and I were given. I had everything organised. And I was waiting until the noon release of the presale access.

By about 12:05 I had purchased eight tickets for the first show in Melbourne. And within that 5 minutes, problems had already started to appear. The main issues were with Ticketek not quite understanding exactly the process for a MetClub presale. I have to say that the efforts of the MetClub staff over in the USA whilst this was going on were the only things keeping me from having a stroke. So there I was after all this waiting and waiting, and I only had the eight tickets. What happened next was a chain-smoking ordeal of the highest order. I sat. I refreshed. I waited. I cursed. I hoped. I prayed. And then it happened – Ticketek pulled its greedy fat finger out of its fat arse.

By three o’clock that afternoon I had secured tickets to every single show Metallica had announced. I was going to be seeing them in Brisbane then Perth and back across to Sydney, over to Adelaide and then back home in Melbourne. It had happened after all of these years. Six long fucking years. Which reminds me of what James said in ‘04 when I got to meet him. He promised us it would not be another six years, but unfortunately it was. But who gives a fuck about dwelling on that? I HAD TICKETS TO EVERY SINGLE FUCKING METALLICA SHOW IN AUSTRALIA. Well, so I thought.

As we predicted (woohoo), Metallica announced further shows (fuck yeah!) in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. I was at work when this happened. Unfortunately Ticketek had fucked up AGAIN and was now demanding VISA cards. So I had to go home. Once home I got the next batch of tickets. YES! I was going to see Metallica 8 times! EVERY SHOW! Again, so I thought. A few days later a third show was added to the east coast and extra ones for Perth and Adelaide! Like competitors in the Amazing Race, Sam and I were faced with a road block – a choice between two tasks, each with their own pros and cons. Did we go to all of the newly announced shows? You know that reality thing I mentioned earlier? Well it came back and reminded us that it was simply not going to be affordable. So we ended up getting tickets to the third shows in Sydney and Melbourne. Oh and I forgot to mention that my little bro is coming with us to all Sydney and Melbourne shows.

So as of right now I have purchased nearly $5000 worth of tickets – not all mine, mind you. I ‘only’ bought ten for myself. Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane x 2, Sydney x 3 and Melbourne x 3. And it feels awesome. I wrote up some memories from the 2004 trip – it was a week and a half in the life of a Metallica fan. This year, its going to be close to a month of madness in the life of a Metallica fan.

And I would not have it any other fucking way. No life ’till leather!

Fuck this has been hard. A few days ago the most important musical release of this year-decade-century appeared online in an incredible twist of fate. Its been 4 years since Metallica gave us all St. Anger, and the pros/cons of that record are best left to the past, as the day draws nearer for Death Magnetic. So after four long, new-Metallica free years, the day is only a week away, when someone, somewhere in France decides to upload the whole record. Do I get it or do I wait. Do I jump or hesitate.

The answer was quite simple – don’t touch it. Its not out of any reason other than the desperate, almost sinful, desire to have my ears untouched until I hit play for the first time next week. I had it all planned out: invite some friends over, get some pizza and booze, burn the 12:01am download onto a CD and press play at 7.30pm. Share it with some people; share the experience of being completely and utterly engrossed by a new Metallica CD. This temptation that I see everywhere I go is like my forty days in the desert thing that that guy Jesus did or something. The temptation is fucking strong.

Thankfully I have 3 of the tracks that I am happy to listen to, to tide me over. Plus the video for The Day That Never Comes. Oh and a few DVDs from those lovely folks in Europe who are so kind as to broadcast the goddamn gigs that the four horseman of awesome play. I have a lot to quench my thirst, but its all really just a teaser, a whiff. The full gulp is next week. And my life will turn on that night.

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I love the band shots…am not entirely sold by the ’story’…I think the song is worth more than that to me. Ain’t nothing gonna change that so I can still appreciate it on its merits.