Watch: Exclusive Footage of Metallica's Phantom Lord from Jon Zazula Tribute
The thrash pioneers go back to their roots in a special show for their late manager.
- Metallica released official footage of their performance of Phantom Lord during a tribute show for former manager Jon Zazula.
- The setlist focused on tracks from their first two albums, Kill ‘Em All and Ride the Lightning, including classics like Creeping Death and Seek and Destroy.
- The show paid homage to Zazula and his wife Marsha, both key figures in Metallica’s early career at Megaforce Records.
Metallica just dropped official footage of them ripping through Phantom Lord at last weekend’s tribute show for their old manager, Jon Zazula. Yeah, it was one of those nights. Florida, the Hard Rock Live, November 6th. A setlist full of early stuff. None of the fluffy, new stuff to bore the diehards.
James Hetfield had a moment before the song, mentioning that Phantom Lord got its name from his pre-Metallica band. You know, back when he was still finding his way. The track made its debut on Kill ‘Em All back in ’83, and let’s face it, it still slaps as hard as it did then.
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The whole gig was a tribute to Zazula and his wife Marsha, both gone now—he in 2022, she in 2021. They were more than just label heads at Megaforce Records. They were the ones who saw Metallica when no one else did. That’s what happens when you sign a band before they’re anything. You get called a “father figure” and stuff like that.
Metallica didn’t play anything from the past 30 years. Nope. This was all Kill ’Em All and Ride the Lightning. The kind of setlist that old-school fans dream about. It kicked off with Creeping Death and Ride The Lightning and rolled through No Remorse, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and Seek And Destroy. For a little extra kick, they closed with Hit The Lights, leaving the crowd probably wondering why they don’t play this stuff more often.
There were covers too—because why not? Diamond Head’s Am I Evil and Blitzkrieg’s Blitzkrieg made an appearance. Just in case you forgot how much this band was shaped by the British metal scene. And opening the show? Raven, another Megaforce act. Old school all the way.
When they first announced this gig, Metallica didn’t mince words: Zazula was the guy who gave them their break, put out their first albums, and shoved them onto the road for their first tour. Without him, we’re probably not talking about Metallica today. Simple as that.
Want to see the footage? You can grab it on their site, if that’s your thing. Maybe you’re still into living in the ’80s, and with a setlist like this, you’ll probably want to.
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