Metallica unplugs for a rare acoustic set to aid charity.
The last time Metallica played a concert in San Francisco, a chilly outdoor set against the backdrop of City Hall for the Dreamforce conference in September, it drew noise complaints from several area codes.
There was no risk of that happening on Saturday, Nov. 4, when the homegrown heavy metal titans unplugged for a rare acoustic set just up the hill at the stately Masonic.
A benefit for the band’s All Within My Hands foundation, the concert stood out from a typical Metallica gig in more ways than one.
The midcentury venue, with its decorative four-story mural window and grand lobby’s white marble walls, is much more intimate than the arenas and stadiums the group typically headlines. Metallica played up the elegant setting for the occasion, lining the pit with Persian rugs and couches offering bottle service, with waiters skating through the reclined donors with endless Champagne refills and gourmet hors d’oeuvres.
Onstage, the four black-clad Metallica members — singer and guitarist James Hetfield, guitarist Kirk Hammett, bassist Robert Trujillo and drummer Lars Ulrich — were backed by a percussionist, pedal steel player, keyboardist and mandolin player, who helped strip down and perk up its ominous rock hits such as “The Unforgiven” and “Nothing Else Matters.”
“How come we don’t get a couch?” Hetfield snarled at one point, only half-joking. “I got a hard stool.”
The ornery frontman spent the first half of the concert battling audio problems in his monitor, glaring angrily off to the side of the stage and making comments under his breath at the sound engineers as the band warmed up to the format with ser-
Regardless of volume, acoustic set at Masonic rich in hooks and attitude
viceable covers of Deep Purple’s 1972 B-side “When a Blind Man Cries” and Nazareth’s 1975 album cut “Please Don’t Judas Me,” which has become a staple of Metallica’s acoustic sets.
But once the feedback problems were sorted out, the pace changed after the band’s dexterous update of Bob Seger’s 1973 classic rock staple “Turn the Page.”
Powering through 1991’s “Enter Sandman” and 1983’s “The Four Horsemen,” Metallica proved that it didn’t need electricity — well, not that much electricity — to bring its manifest balance of delicacy and ferocity to the stage.
“This feels better now,” Hetfield said, easing into his hard stool.
“Do you want to do ‘Judas’ again?” Ulrich shot back. “Maybe next year.” The band hopes to make the All Within My Hands concert an annual event, like Sammy Hagar’s Acoustic-4-a-Cure and KFOG’s Concert for Kids — and there’s good reason to bring it back. More than 1,000 fans paid anywhere from $250 for seats in the balcony to $6,250 on eBay for the privilege of sitting at one of the fancy couches on the floor.
Metallica repeatedly thanked them for their support of the foundation that, according to its website, “aims to assist and enrich the lives of members of the communities who have supported the band for years.” Previous recipients have included the Tipping Point Community, MusicCares and the Warriors Community Foundation.
“You put good out there, and good comes back,” said Hetfield. “Pretty amazing, huh?”