Metallica and 80,000 fans caused an “earthquake” at OAKA – Everything that happened at the biggest concert of the year in Athens (videos-photos)

It wasn’t lone the assemblage that went chaotic from the precise archetypal infinitesimal Metallica stepped onto the signifier astatine Olympic Athletic Center of Athens (OAKA) on Saturday nighttime — galore would accidental they perfectly “demolished” the venue with a two-hour explosive setlist.

Above all, it was the earthy vigor of James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, and Robert Trujillo that overflowed from the mesmerizing “high priests” of heavy metal, arsenic everyone successful attendance witnessed.

And “everyone” genuinely meant everyone: from ten-year-old kids attending with their parents, to young couples, to longtime metalheads — the alleged “freaks” — good into their fifties.

Knocked Loose opened the performance of the twelvemonth successful the blazing day heat, earlier giving mode to Gojira, who gave an all-out show and received monolithic applause during their hour-long set.

But everyone was eagerly awaiting Metallica’s 5th quality successful Greece, and erstwhile the intro to Creeping Death blasted done the speakers astatine 8:45 p.m., the packed stands and arena erupted into frenzy.

Full throttle

The 600 speakers and subwoofers suspended from 8 towers surrounding the signifier produced phenomenal sound, and combined with the unthinkable temper of the band, swept the OAKA assemblage distant from the precise archetypal minute.

It volition beryllium absorbing to spot the results from the seismograph that monitored the performance connected behalf of the National Observatory of Athens Geodynamic Institute, successful bid to find whether the synchronized question of tens of thousands of spectators could make measurable seismic vibrations.

Playing astatine afloat speed, the set chose a setlist filled mostly with classical hits and less newer songs — tracks the assemblage recognized from the precise archetypal notes.

James Hetfield warmly greeted the crowd, saying helium was grateful that Metallica had returned to Athens, portion guitarist Kirk Hammett remarked that euphony itself began successful Greece.

Spyros, Trypes, and full delirium

Without pause, the set “bombarded” the assemblage with monolithic songs similar The Unforgiven, during which mobile phones lit up the stadium, Nothing Else Matters and of people the furious Seek & Destroy, sung by the full Olympic Stadium.

Hetfield’s notation of young Spyros, a lad battling crab who had dreamed of seeing the set up close, profoundly moved the assemblage — particularly erstwhile the camera focused connected the smiling kid lasting conscionable steps distant from the Metallica frontman.

As for Greece itself, beyond verbal references, Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo amazed the assemblage with an antithetic duet, archetypal performing a beauteous rendition of Zorba’s Dance on guitar and bass, which earned lukewarm applause.

But the assemblage genuinely exploded erstwhile Robert Trujillo performed a opus by Trypes 1 of the astir beloved tracks written by Giannis Aggelakas.

OAKA erupted erstwhile again, portion classical anthems similar Fade to Black and Master of Puppets pushed the strength adjacent higher.

And that strength didn’t slice adjacent with Enter Sandman — the band’s signature way — which closed Metallica’s performance successful Athens successful the champion imaginable way.

Despite the screams and applause of the thousands of spectators, determination was nary encore during this relentless nighttime — a nighttime that intelligibly justified James Hetfield’s remark that helium has the champion occupation successful the world.