Metal thunder shook NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, as Metallica blasted through a mind-bending set on June 14. The sold-out crowd went wild, and Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies opened the night for an unforgettable experience that lasted over five hours.
The night kicked off at 6 p.m. with Suicidal Tendencies’ raw energy. Tye Trujillo, just 21, owned the bass lines his father once played in the 1990s. The band’s 40-minute set included hits like “You Can’t Bring Me Down” and “Institutionalized.”
Then, Pantera unleashed pure Texas metal fury. Vocalist Phil Anselmo, Rex Brown on bass, Zakk Wylde on guitar, and Charlie Benante on drums tore through nine blistering songs. “Walk” and “Cowboys from Hell” whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
At 9 p.m. sharp, Metallica stormed their wrap-around stage. James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo gave an awesome performance. The opening riffs of “Creeping Death” split the air. Then came the crushing weight of “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” followed by the lightning-fast assault of “Ride the Lightning.” Fresh cuts from their 2023 album, 72 Seasons, stood tall next to the classics. They included “Lux Æterna” and “If Darkness Had a Son.”
“After 44 years, still we care so much about what we do,” Hetfield told the crowd, according to the . The band members have over 125 years of stage experience combined, and they still deliver energetic performances.
Metal united the masses that night. Kids pumped their fists next to gray-haired rockers who have been there since day one. A Make-A-Wish kid lived his dream in the front row. “Master of Puppets” and “Enter Sandman” capped the sonic assault. The aftermath saw fans stuck in a two-hour traffic jam, with the last cars finally breaking free at 1 a.m.
