Last week my friend Phil and I headed to the Imax in Nottingham to watch a screening of the film “Through the Never”. This is a film featuring a live show by Metallica, with a background story thrown in, that follows the mood of the songs.
I have to say that I don’t listen to Metallica much these days but I loved them back when I was around 15. I even saw them live in Sporting’s football stadium in Lisbon in 93 or 94, I can’t remember anymore. Going to this showing really took me back some 20 years. I had even forgotten I could actually play some of the songs on my guitar – particularly the intro to Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters!
I enjoyed seeing the band and I think they look very good for their age, especially James Hetfield, who in my opinion actually looks better and more attractive now than he did 20 years ago. He now has short hair a lots of tattoos. I like that!
As I mentioned above, there is a background story that develops alongside the live show. This kid named Trip who I suppose is a roadie, is asked to go on an errand as the show is starting. So we follow him through the streets of Vancouver as he encounters several surreal situations – a group of protesters clashing with the riot police, a gas-masked rider who hangs people from lamp posts… The scene with the police banging their batons on their shields to the beat of the music was very powerful and the following scenes were quite violent too. In the end he gets back to the arena where Metallica are playing with a bag he had picked up on the way. What is in it? That is the million dollar question! I can understand why the background story is there (it kind of made it feel like a very long music video) but I don’t think it’s indispensable. The main thing about this film is indeed the music. I don’t want to give away more details about this bit as I don’t want to spoil any more.
In review: I had a really good time. I was moving my feet to the beat of the music the whole time and it almost felt like I was watching a live show. They even played some of my favourite songs from their repertoire – One and Master of Puppets, so I can’t really complain. It was my first Imax 3D experience and I was very impressed.
It might show my age that I actually thought I could do this instead of going to big live shows. You see, I’m not very tall and tend to have difficulty seeing what’s happening on stage, not to mention that I was comfortably seated instead of being ran over by over excited people who are bigger than me!
If you’ve never listened to Metallica or don’t have any interest in heavy metal style music, I would tell you to not go as it would most likely be a boring experience. But if you are or ever been their fan, I highly recommend it.
What I wore for the occasion: Dress and Blazer– H&M, via Ebay, Boots– Beau Coups, via Ebay, Bag – Ahcahcum Muchacha, Tights and long sleeve navy tee – Primark, Spiky Collar – Blue Banana (leaving present from my old team at work).
