"...Others were the diehard fans taking part in what seemed like a religious experience. Worship the band. Clap your hands. Sing the songs. Feel the power..."

From July 3-12 I was thrilled to attend 6 Metallica shows; four as a SS#19 winner and two as a regular ticketholder. As a winner I anticipated seeing the shows but I didn't expect to be assigned the kinds of jobs that we got over the week. I was often at the Club booth, either working or just hanging around. As I watched people stream through the gates it seemed everyone was wearing Metallica tee shirts. Sure, at all shows you expect to see fans wearing the garb, but at Metallica shows the percentage seems way high, part of the ritual if you will. You get the variety of shirts from new Reload or 1998 club shirts (hey where's mine??), to well worn shirts from the Justice Tour. Some concert goers seemed like they were just there for a diversion - an outdoor concert, a great way to spend a summer evening. Others were the diehard fans taking part in what seemed like a religious experience. Worship the band. Clap your hands. Sing the songs. Feel the power.

First Day on the Job - So Let it be Done

My first job was to assist at the club booth before the show. The fans who scored backstage passes were very definitely feeling the power. One group of teen guys was so excited I thought they'd all have seizures. One guy told me how he was an aspiring drummer and that he really wanted to meet Larz. I was a bit worried because there was a radio meet & greet with live interviews earlier and I wondered if any band members would have time to come out for the fan club members. Jason and Jaymz did come out, signed stuff, and chatted with anyone who had something to talk about. I was so impressed with the generosity of Jaymz and Jason, taking the time, when they were running a bit late. And that aspiring drummer was thrilled to meet the guyz, even though Larz didn't make it.

This was my introduction to life on the road. I never could have anticipated the events of the next day.

Great Attitudes and Very Little that was In-Tune

Before the Blossom Music Center show five of the winners were assigned the afternoon job of assisting set-up of the "Tuning and Attitude room" This involved uncrating equipment, laying out the pedals and plugging everything in. Now don't get me wrong it was cool to be setting up for Metallica but there was one distraction in the room. Larz' drums were already set up. To our shock and amazement we were allowed, not only to touch his drums, but actually play them. I use the term "play" loosely, as none of us had any idea what we were doing! Slowly the guitars were set up, and yes we played them too. Jason's bass was very popular because none of us had ever picked up the instrument let alone play one. Jaymz' ESP woodgrain Explorer was a trip because Jaymz is so tall the guitar hung way down on us girls. No one dared adjust the strap. Kirk's ouija board ESP was my favorite. As a very amateur guitar player I was amazed to feel the difference between the ESP and my third-hand cheep & cheerful guitar.

As it got closer to showtime three of the winners were assigned other jobs and ushered out of the room, leaving me free to caress Kirk's guitar and my partner free to learn how to play the drums on Larz' set. I was so excited to be in this situation I forgot most of what I knew how to play. I have studied Kirk's lessons in Guitar World, read numerous interviews and loved the recent Guitar issue edited by Kirk. I knew if he walked in I'd feel like a dork. Larz had already stuck his head in to see what all the racket was, and did offer drum lessons at another time! I decided I'd just be a dork and keep playing. Of course, Kirk does walk in. He seemed amused by it all. After a brief exchange he walked to his equipment, hit a pedal and said "here it sounds better like this" and left with a grin on his face. I figured this was going to be the absolute highlight of my week.

I'm Sent Here by the Chosen One

When we were kicked out of the Tuning and Attitude Room, my partner and I were assigned stage duties. After the Jerry Cantrell crew cleared their equipment off the stage we went out to set up. Yes, that would be out onto the stage a few minutes before Metallica comes on. We affixed the picks to the mic stands. At every show I have longed to catch a pick and there I was attaching them to the stands. Then, we got sent out to tape the set lists to the stage. Even the security dudes were sneaking a peek. It was a strange sensation to be on-stage just before the band. You can really feel the energy of the crowd. One of the perks of being stage help was that we were allowed to watch the show from the backstage area, just behind the monitor board, near Kirk. We had this tiny space, and if we touched anything it would screw up the show. I thought I had scored good Club seats at the Toronto show a few days earlier, but in the wings, WOW the view is something else. You see the interaction between the band and the tightly knit crew: mouthed words, laughter, hand signals, gestures (yes all gestures). It's something that is hard to catch even from the front row of the show because the band directs this stuff to the side and rear of the stage. There is a real camaraderie going throughout the show, and this was the best place to take it in. At one point a fan got on-stage and Gio from security tackled, flattened, subdued and removed the guy in a flash. A thing of beauty and what a perspective from the wings! After the acoustic set my fear about accidentally touching something around the monitor equipment and my paranoia over my lousy tape job on stage had passed. I found a way to rock out with minimal movement but I hadn't perfected the "hey I'm working" Roadie look on my face. I was relaxed yet peaked to be in such a cool place. Then, during Sandman, I got the shoulder tap. "Chris you want to do Kirk's pedals during Creeping Death?" uh OK. I think I came the closest I've even been to passing out. I'm taken over to another backstage area, to Kirk's guitar tek., Justin Crew. Kirk has pedals on stage but many of the effects are handled backstage to allow more movement. While the show is going on Justin gives me explicit instructions of which pedals to hit. Creeping Death starts. Justin gives me the signals. I hit the pedals. I hear it. Kirk sees me and nods. For just a second I'm part of the backstage family. I try to breathe. It was amazing. Near the end of the song I get the you're outta here yank and I go back to the bus. It was all over. I think it was the weirdest combination of guitar player, tek., roadie, rockstar experiences I'll ever get. I'll never forget the feeling.

Later that evening my thoughts drifted to something that happened the previous night in Cincinnati. It had to be at least 2:00 am. The tour buses and trucks just began rolling out to the next gig. Just outside the security gates there were a group of fans with a homemade "Cincinnati Loves Metallica" banner. Even at the late hour, in the middle of nowhere, this group was wildly cheering and waving as the convoy rolled by. Although they wouldn't have seen me through the tinted windows of the bus, I waved back, knowing if it were my hometown I'd be out there cheering too, and knowing they'd give anything to trade places with me.