The Poster Memorabilia blog

An Intoxicating Night with Metallica

One very expensive ticket, four legends backstage, and a Master of Puppets poster finally signed.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

Do you understand how lucky you are to be a Metallica fan? The band is still touring around the world, decades after they first came onto the scene in 1981. With so many of their contemporaries retired or gone, we're lucky the band is still together, let alone still active to this day.

I've been a fan since the early 2000s, and I've followed them ever since. I was one of those goth kids who only listened to rock bands growing up. Black dominated my wardrobe, and instead of going to house parties, my buddies and I would hole up in my best friend's room with Metallica blasting on his stereo.

Ahh, what a time! I don't know how kids listen to music these days, but I hope they're having just as much fun as we did. I'm still having a lot of fun myself, and that's thanks to Metallica still touring the world today.

These guys have been around since the 80s! They were already veterans when I became a fan, so I still find it crazy that they're still performing worldwide. Their tickets also grow progressively more expensive with every new tour, but I can confidently say that every cent is worth it.

I've been to many of their concerts over the years, and I don't even want to add up what I've spent on tickets and merch. I always collect Metallica memorabilia after every show, and the best thing I ever got came in 2017.

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That year, the band rolled out what they called Enhanced Experiences for their WorldWired Tour. The top tier, the Hardwired package, got a small group of fans backstage with the band for a photo, autographs, and a chance to ask them anything, plus access to a traveling exhibit of their memorabilia. At $2,499 per person, it was the priciest thing they'd ever offered.

“The moment I shared with Metallica was second to none.”

It almost sounds ludicrous to pay that much for just one night, doesn't it? But I still did it anyway, and it remains the best thing I ever paid for. If I were gonna spend $2,500 on something, it would naturally be a night with my favorite band ever.

So, with the bonus I'd received a year earlier, I bought that package and had the time of my life. The exhibit alone was worth it, especially standing in front of the original Master of Puppets album art. But the moment I shared with Metallica was second to none. When they said we'd get to hang out with the band, they weren't kidding.

Before the show, they led us backstage, and there, finally, I met those legendary rock stars. I got so excited just seeing them in person that the rest of the night blurred by. All I remember was shaking their hands, having them sign my Master of Puppets poster, and taking a photo with them. The concert afterward felt like a victory lap.

I'm fairly confident I didn't embarrass myself because they looked happy in the shot, but I'm still not sure. The day after felt like a massive hangover even though I hadn't had a drop. That was the magnitude of actually meeting your favorite band in real life. It'll go to your head faster than any bottle of vodka.

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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