The day was August 12, 1983. The setting: Chicago’s legendary venue, The Metro. Headlining the show were heavy metal masters Raven. And the opener? Oh, just a young band called Metallica. They played their debut album, Kill ’em All, and in doing so, set the stage for 80s thrash metal domination.
Dubbed the Kill ‘Em All for One tour, the trek came amidst the release of Metallica’s first record, which had dropped on July 25, 1983. At the time, vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield was 20, drummer Lars Ulrich was 19, guitarist Kirk Hammett was 20, and bassist Cliff Burton was 21.
The set, which was captured on film, was evidence of metal’s turning tide. Thrash was here now, and it was going to reign supreme. Check out footage from the iconic gig below.
These days, a Metallica show looks much different. The band is on their 11th studio album—72 Seasons (2023)—and playing sold-out shows in stadiums around the world.
They wrapped a 2026 overseas tour in the summer and are preparing for a fall residency at the Las Vegas Sphere, dubbed ‘Life Burns Faster’. Starting in October, Metallica will play their ‘No Repeat Weekend’ sets for two dozen shows at the state-of-the-art venue. They’ll also be the first heavy metal band to perform at The Sphere.
Metallica’s Sphere residency sold out in record time
“Thank You, Sphere Fans! Wow! What a week,” the band wrote in a message after tickets went on sale and quickly sold out. “We are so appreciative and grateful to all of you for the incredible response to our upcoming ‘Life Burns Faster’ residency at Sphere in Las Vegas. We are completely and utterly blown away and cannot believe that we will have 24 amazing nights on stage there, all thanks to you and a record-breaking week.”
Metallica explained that they would not be adding any new shows at this time. They also acknowledged and apologized for the less-than-stellar ticket-buying experience.
“We are looking forward to a very exciting 2026,” the band’s message continued. “Starting off with seeing many of you in Europe this spring and summer as the M72 tour hits the road again in May. Before we know it, we’ll be exploring new frontiers along with fans from around the world in Las Vegas, and we can’t wait!”
Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images
The post 43 Years Ago Today, This Young Band Played a Chicago Show That No One Knew Was the Beginning of 80s Thrash Metal Domination appeared first on VICE.
