METALLICA Frontman On Eight-Show Run In Mexico: 'I Don't Think We Could Do It Anywhere Else'

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield spoke to the Mexican radio station Ibero 90.9 last month prior to the band's eight-night run at Palacio de los Deportes (Sports Palace) in Mexico City. You can watch the chat below.

"To play anywhere in the world for eight shows is unbelievable," Hetfield said. "I don't think we could do it anywhere else. Mexico City stepped up, and every [concert] we put on sale, there was another one [that was added] and another and it kept going. It was crazy! We probably could have kept going, as the passion here is unbelievable."

METALLICA's July 28 show in Mexico City marked the debut of a new 140-foot-by-50-foot stage that features "colossal components and striking visual elements spanning METALLICA's entire 30-year career."

"The stage that we're doing — the kind of the 'best-of' stage — is pretty dangerous and pretty unpredictable," Hetfield said. "There's a lot of things that can go wrong. [laughs] Pyro and fire and things falling and… I don't wanna give away too much, but there's a lot going on. A lot. So every show will be different of these eight, I think, just because of the fact that things will be working differently. We haven't really rehearsed a lot on this stage — maybe a week, production rehearsals — so it's gonna be crazy. It's gonna be a lot of fun."

A nine-minute montage of the "best effects" in METALLICA's new stage show — captured during the July 28 opening gig of the band's eight-night run in Mexico City — can be seen below. A post at the group's web site said, "What an amazing first show with the new mind blowing stage. During 'Puppetz', lighted crosses came up from the stage, 'Battery' saw pyro and coffins, then we had Nothing. 'Enter Sandman' was up next, and that's when shit really hit the fan! Loud bangs, random fireworks, falling towers, falling spot light guy, falling scaffolding, guy was caught on fire, then a complete blackout."

Video footage taken at the gig initially made it seem as if a malfunctioning pyro launcher caused two road crew members to be engulfed in flames during the song "Enter Sandman".

The show was stopped and the men carried out on stretchers, after which METALLICA resumed playing. A spokesperson for the promoter said it was "all part of the show."

METALLICA performed at the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco this past weekend and is scheduled to play two shows in late August in Vancouver, which will be filmed for the band's upcoming 3D movie.

Interview:

"Best effects" montage: