Athens moved to the rhythms of Metallica on Saturday night (9/5), with OAKA filled to capacity with thousands of fans who have been waiting for 16 years for the band’s return to Greece.
The concert took place as part of the M72 world tour, with more than 80.000 spectatorswere at the Olympic Stadium to watch the historic live performance.
The night at OAKA was opened by Gojira and Knocked Loose, raising the intensity early on and preparing the crowd for Metallica’s performance.
France’s Gojira, one of the most important contemporary names on the global metal scene, impressed with their commanding sound and explosive stage presence. The band, which has gained a huge international following in recent years, performed tracks that got the audience going, combining heavy riffs with more atmospheric elements. Many spectators referred to it as one of the strongest opening acts they have ever seen in a concert in Greece.
A little earlier, Americans Knocked Loose brought their hardcore sound to OAKA, with intensity, dynamism and non-stop energy on stage. Although they move in more extreme musical paths, they managed to win a large part of the audience and create a strong atmosphere from the first minutes of the night.
The presence of the two bands added even more weight to the concert, turning the night into a long-awaited metal event of international standards for the Greek audience.
The intensity and energy of the audience was so great that the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens monitored the concert with a seismograph, recording micro-vibrations in the ground from the synchronized movement of the spectators.
From early afternoon, thousands of people began to gather at the OAKA, while increased security measures and special traffic regulations were put in place to ensure the smooth running of the concert and the departure of the audience.
One of the standout moments was the customary “doodle” of Robert Trujillo and Kirk Hammett. The two musicians honored Greece by playing the iconic “Zorba” by Miki Theodorakis, with the audience erupting in applause and rhythmically following the melody.
Shortly afterwards, Metallica came up with yet another surprise for Greek fans, performing the song “You don’t fit anywhere” from Tryps by Yannis Angelakas. OAKA sang the lyrics with them, in a rare moment of connection between the international metal scene and Greek rock culture.
For the first time in Greece, the impressive in-the-round stage of the tour was presented, which was set up in the center of the stadium. The audience was literally surrounded by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo, while the famous Snake Pit provided a unique experience for the band’s most ardent fans.
The setlist included some of Metallica’s best-known songs, such as “Enter Sandman”, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “Master of Puppets”, as well as songs from the new album “72 Seasons”. James Hetfield appeared particularly warm towards the audience and did not hide his excitement for the reception he received from the Greek fans.
The concert was opened by Gojira and Knocked Loose, raising the tension in OAKA from early on and preparing the audience for Metallica’s big performance.
A few hours before they took to the stage, Metallica had posted a message on their Instagram account saying: “Wake up, Athens. Today you will see Metallica.”
