LARS ULRICH Reveals His Highlights From METALLICA's Shows With SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY

On September 6, METALLICA played the first of two shows with the San Francisco Symphony for the grand opening of Chase Center, the new home of the Golden State Warriors.

The concert, conducted by Edwin Outwater with a special appearance by Michael Tilson Thomas, marked the 20th anniversary of METALLICA's first performance with the symphony at the Berkeley Community Theater in 1999, which resulted in the live album "S&M" (Symphony & Metallica). A film of this month's concerts (including Sunday's performance at the same venue),called "S&M²", will arrive in theaters worldwide on October 9.

The September 6 show drew 16,000 fans and saw the four members of METALLICA playing on a circular, revolving stage in the center of the arena floor, surrounded by 75 members of the Symphony and Outwater, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The three-hour concert was split into two parts and included a rendition of "Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)" from METALLICA's debut album, "Kill 'Em All", performed as a solo by the Symphony bassist Scott Pingel in tribute to METALLICA's late bassist Cliff Burton (whose 94-year-old father was in the audience).

Drummer Lars Ulrich told Kerrang! magazine: "The 'Anesthesia' bass solo was incredible. The way the fans reacted to that was goosebump-city. I loved the dare of playing 'Iron Foundry'. I loved revisiting songs we don't play so often like 'The Outlaw Torn' and 'The Call Of Ktulu'.

"I loved how Edwin brought one sort of dynamic when he was conducting the more rock stuff, and how Michael Tilson Thomas — the maestro, the elder statesman of his world — brought in some different pieces and encouraged the fans to understand where the symphonic and rock worlds overlap.

"Most of all, though, the fact that there was no barricade stood out. When was the last time you went to a rock show of that size without one? What does that barricade do? What does it mean? It's a safety thing, but in essence it's something that separates people. I loved just being able to walk out with the fans. At one point, I leaned back and let myself go into their embrace. That was a great moment."

The original "S&M" concerts were conducted by the late Michael Kamen in spring of 1999 at the Berkeley Community Theatre.