There were flames, fireworks, and an unexpected blast of “Smoko” as Metallica’s M72 Tour roared into Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night, 12 November.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted metal giants have been especially generous to fans on this trek — their first visit Down Under since 2013 — by performing a homegrown classic at each Australian date.
For their tour opener on 1 November at Perth’s Optus Stadium, the Bay Area legends delivered a rendition of John Butler’s “Zebra.” The Western Australian native responded in kind, performing his own cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”
At Adelaide Oval on 5 November, the band launched into INXS’ Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Need You Tonight,” seamlessly segueing into the Angels’ 1976 classic “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again,” with bassist Robert Trujillo taking lead vocals. During their Melbourne show at Marvel Stadium, Metallica performed “Prisoner of Society” by the alternative rock trio the Living End.
In the lead-up to Metallica’s only show in Queensland, speculation was rife. Would they honour Powderfinger or the Go-Betweens? Perhaps the Saints? Or could it be something unexpected — maybe the Bee Gees, the Veronicas or even Keith Urban?
As it turned out, Metallica nailed it with a cover of the Chats’ “Smoko,” a track originally released on the Sunshine Coast punk outfit’s 2017 EP Get This in Ya!!. Once again, Trujillo handled vocals, joined by lead guitarist Kirk Hammett. “We like to celebrate music from your hood,” Trujillo told the crowd.
For the uninitiated, a “smoko” is Australian slang for a work break, often one taken to have a smoke.
Eamon Sandwith and his bandmates from the Chats were delighted by the tribute. “Stoked to make it to the ‘doodle’ section of the set, thanks Metallica,” the ARIA Award-winning band posted on social media.
The show kicked off with a montage of fan photos displayed on the main screen, set to AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll).” Coincidentally, AC/DC’s own Australian tour began the same evening, roughly 1,000 miles south at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The rock icons will visit Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium twice in December.
“Thank you, we missed you a lot,” frontman James Hetfield told the audience on a surprisingly cool November night. “We’re very grateful to be here. This is love.”
Hetfield went on to declare that he had “the best job in the world” — and he may well be right — before Metallica tore into “Sad But True,” a song that hit like a sledgehammer.
Though Metallica may have mellowed over the years, they remain as fierce as ever, delivering a set that soared from start to finish. The encore — “Master of Puppets,” “One,” and “Enter Sandman” — was a thunderous finale that could have woken the dead. Perhaps fittingly, the venue was once Paddington Cemetery, a former burial ground.
Late in the evening, Hetfield welcomed the packed stadium as members of the “Metallica family,” some long-time followers, others first-timers. “That’s why we’re here. To forget all the bull**** in life,” he said.
Like proud parents, Hetfield, Hammett, Trujillo, and drummer Lars Ulrich remained on stage long after the final note, handing out drumsticks and guitar picks, and taking turns to thank the crowd.
Produced by Live Nation Australia, the tour continues at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on 15 November and concludes on 19 November at Auckland’s Eden Park. Supporting acts for this leg of the M72 World Tour are Evanescence and Suicidal Tendencies.