Verizon Center @ Washington, DC - 1/15/09

This is your typical love story: girl is introduced to band...falls in love...band has no idea...girl chases band for 20 years...in MetClub for 10 years...girl feels neglected...girl is about to give up and decides to leave the MetClub...when all of sudden, the ultimate thing happens, changing her attitude toward the band forever...she regrets that she had lost faith...and ultimately returns to the love she has always known. What follows are some of the details from the most recent leg of her 20 year journey, and the moment that quite possibly could have filled her Metallica cup for eternity. Read on...

On January 15th, I went to work, wondering why and how I was supposed to focus on anything other than what I was doing that night. It was going to be the first of four shows for me. I was excited, nervous, and scared. I hadn’t done the "tour thing" in a while. Plus I'm not as young as I used to be. I must have looked like a clueless dork when I hurried off to catch the metro to downtown DC. Also, I didn't really know how the whole “Will Call” thing was going to work out, and I was running late. Thank God for Joie, who was first in line.

Picture from MetOnTour.com

Trying to find the new metro stop was crazy. I had no idea where people were supposed to park. Finally, I just went to an empty lot and paid $10 bucks. I got a bad case of OCD and ended up going through everything in my purse, car, etc. trying to figure out what I needed, what I could leave, what I had to wear, what I was gonna do with it once I got there, etc. I spoke to Dawn who filled me in on everything - everyone was freezing, and had been out there since the morning. Today wasn’t just cold - it was VERY COLD! I felt bad, being cold for such a short time. I really appreciated the dedication of my friends who stood in line a lot longer than me.

I was told that as soon as I came up the escalator, I would see everyone in line. Sure enough, I turned the right corner and there they were! I missed my old friends - not just Metallica - but my Virginia Fuel friends. Lot’s of us have been together for a long time! Screams...hugs...woo hoo! I ended up scalping the three extra tickets that I had to a couple of shady ticket scalpers. I thought I’d have to hold Dawn back when they were trying to take the tickets to “look at them” while I wasn’t trying to let go of them and they weren’t trying to let go of the money before seeing the tickets. They got sold though, and I could relax.

I had packed every single pocket full of snacks, pop tarts, gum, etc. to share with everyone. I don’t know what I was thinking! But I figured everyone would be starving. I felt like June Cleaver, and everyone was like WTF? Ah well, I offered! Thankfully the doors opened a few hours later, and I was able to follow people in like Jeff and George who knew what they were doing. [Ed.
Most of the time, Jeff and George DON'T know what they're doing.] Once the doors opened, it was like romper room on crack. People trying to run, push, wiggle their way to the front to get through the little door that led to the floor. It opened and out of nowhere comes Super Ron, who gets in first. I’m behind Jeff which is both good and bad. We were all hauling tail across the floor to get what they have already discovered as the “best spot." I’m running a few yards behind an “unnamed current chapter-head” when he stops, bends down to pick something up, and I go falling right on top of him. I tried to get up as I watched everyone run past. Everything kind of went slow-mo for a while. I wanted to get up, but I felt like I was in a bad dream, and I couldn’t move. Then an angel stopped and helped me up all the while the stupid security guys said, “That’s why we said don’t run.” I almost went back and explained how I wasn’t running, but figured I’d rather see the show. It was a fleeting thought, but instead I ran on a new bum knee. I did make it to the rail, but not quick enough to get a spot. I did managed to get right behind a Clubber and pre-warned him that any touching was unintentional and meaningless, and that no matter how hard we were squished I would still respect him after the show.

Picture from MetOnTour.com

The show was incredible! I loved hearing the new stuff live, and I had missed seeing the Boys. I needed this show, BAD. Every show I go to I try to do something unusual or memorable for me. That night I was wearing my brand new “no more orders to be printed ever” Virginia Fuel shirt with another Metallica shirt underneath. At some point before things got hot, I took the Fuel shirt off and folded it neatly. During the show when James came around I made sure to hold it up, to give him some Fuel love. It was my “sign,” if you will. He saw it plenty, and knew what it was. Then, when he was talking to the crowd, I asked the Clubber in front to let me on the rail for a quick second so I could hand the shirt to James. It was very COOL when he came to the edge of the stage and was trying to get people to hand it to him. I was freakin out! The security guy in front of me had his back to James and couldn’t see that James was trying to get it. I was screaming “He wants it, look!” and the security guy kept shaking his head no. Finally security guards from the corners came over, grabbed it, and gave it to him. James said “Thanks!” and tossed it onto Lars’ personal spinning stage thingy. I was psyched! I hoped that it would be safe, especially since at one point Lars picked it up like it was dirty underwear and put it back on the ground. I was elated nevertheless, and decided no matter, James took it, and if the unspeakable happened to it, I’d still have that moment.

I also managed to meet up with a girl I’d known since kindergarten who I’d connected with on yes - Facebook - and never would have guessed she was a Metallica fan. It was her first show, and somewhere between The Sword and Machine Head I went up and saw her. It was great to see her again. And if all that wasn’t cool enough, I got to go home with one of Metallica’s balls (he he he). It made the metro ride home with Joie and Dawn that much more interesting. Dawn had a HUGE one and was sitting on it squeezing the air out.