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Rating: Leaving in the morning, spending 5 hours on a train, entering the racetrack at 10:30 AM and leaving 15 hours later, standing the whole time with a sun that melts the stones, water running scarce, beer costing €6 a glass (what jerks...) and an ice pop costing €2.50, leaving there and waiting 8 hours lying beside track 1 of the Imola station for a train to take you home.
All of this just to see the Metallica from about 15 meters from the stage, spread out on the barrier between the first and second sector, with an entirely clear view and the artists so close you can see every expression on their face. Things that normal people would say are psychiatric madness to be shot instantly. Well... Maybe yes, but every now and then it's worth it.
WATER IN FACE: Winners of this year's contest, in my opinion, their rock doesn't do terribly bad, but the environment isn't the best for starting to get known. And that drummer idiot (enters with a Kiss makeup and a Mad Hatter hat, and after telling us to screw off a bit, sacrifices himself on his drums) certainly doesn't help his guitarist.
AMPHITRIUM: I didn't know these Swiss at all, but I really liked their metal. Very brutal! I recommend listening to them.
TRIVIUM: A video on RockTv isn't enough to say you know a band, but often the impression given (from that video) turns out to be accurate: I never liked it and remained of this impression (which actually expanded to their entire style) throughout their performance...
LIVING THINGS: Simply rock! They come and do everything to get on people's nerves, who throw bottles nonstop... but the singer just needs to say every 10 minutes "Fuckin' US! Fuckin' Bush!" to gain some popularity! I liked the pieces, those four were really over the top and personally, they entertained me: let's say they were a warm-up for the Darkness.
LACUNA COIL: I always thought they've been overrated, to those who say they, along with Rapsody, are the pride of Italian metal, I would throw an Extrema CD on their face... Anyway, good performance, Cristina more darling than ever with a tight white blouse and overall a nice view, especially when they headbang all together synchronized! Nice songs, well played, but absolutely nothing essential... just don't tell that to a 15-year-old idiot who was next to me: after screaming their songs, he left, telling me "I spent €40 just for them"!!!
AVENGED SEVENFOLD: Another band that made us jump a lot: good metal, decent enthusiasm from the members, and the guitarist seemed up to the task. As for their repertoire, they didn't disappoint... and when they started with "Walk" by Pantera, a much-appreciated surprise for the public, they really rocked!!! Well done.
THE DARKNESS: Speechless. Probably the biggest and best surprise of the entire festival, at least for me! I had heard rumors that the singer is a great entertainer, but I really didn't imagine how much they would make me have fun! Playing practically all their hits (masterfully, I'd add... great voice!) and surrounding it all with various antics and, especially, two AC/DC covers that had the same effect as "Walk" (only here instead of horns there were raised hands) they heated up the crowd a lot, charging it up for Metallica... Also bravo the new bassist, who besides improvising also sang the two covers.
METALLICA: The band for which 99% of the people were there, myself included, kept us waiting for a while but did not disappoint anyone's expectations! Once Italy's game was over, Morricone's theme started as usual and they immediately launched into "Creeping Death", making it clear that energy was not lacking! Between highs and lows (the new album's proposed song which is quite frankly terrible), between outbursts and slow pieces ("The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters"), to highlight is the full performance of the album "Master Of Puppets" which drove us all literally crazy (I saw dozens of kids taken away in a state of shock), as well as the "God bless Cliff Burton" said by James at the conclusion of "Orion"... Two and a half fantastic hours, ended greatly with "Seek & Destroy" shouted loudly by the people!
Summarizing their performance, I would say they are stage animals: age is now showing and being felt and ideas unfortunately are no longer there (Kirk's improvisation was disappointing), but if people still go by the thousands to see their concerts, there's a reason... Superb!
In conclusion, what else to say? As an experience, it was unforgettable, despite the organization not being exactly impeccable... After a few hours boiling under the sun, I asked myself if it was worth it and someone next to me answered with a sentence that the more time passes, the more it seems stupid to me, but at the time struck me:
"Well, tiring it is tiring, but just like a Muslim must once in life go to Mecca, a metalhead must see Metallica once in life!"...
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