Metallica has been performing for fans in several festivals and headlining concerts for decades now, but there was one moment when Lars Ulrich got sick, leading Kirk Hammett to take the lead and save the night; what happened?
To give fans a background, the metal group was set to perform at the Download Festival in the United Kingdom in 2004. However, the drummer was not able to join his good pals due to his health condition.
According to I-95, Ulrich fell ill and had to be hospitalized due after working too much and experiencing emotional pressure. Fortunately, he was immediately released, but the rest of the members were scrambling backstage to the point that they were told to cancel their headlining set.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, the guitarist recalled the incident, saying when incidents like this happen, the responsibility "seems to land" on him."
Throughout the event, he spoke with several drummers for three hours, including Dimebag of Pantera who waved at him. The musician eventually walked towards him and said "You guys have got this." Hammett said it was the last time he saw the drummer before he passed away.
Metallica Download Festival Concert 2004: Who Helped Out the Band to Save the Show?
Later that evening, then-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo had heard from the group's manager that Metallica was having a hard time due to Ulrich's hospitalization.
Fortunately, he was willing to "help out," leading him to listen to a "little CD player" to listen to the tracks that he was going to perform to "reacquaint" himself.
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In addition to Lombardo, Joey Jordison of Slipknot, who was in a Metallica covers band when he was younger, also helped the group.
He joined Metallica members Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo, and James Hetfield rehearsing that afternoon and they successfully played the set at night.
Joey Jordison Emotional After Metallica Download Festival Concert 2004
Hammett praised the late drummer, saying he could play "all sorts of things" and he remembered seeing him so happy collaborating with Metallica that evening.
By the end of their headlining set, he turned to the drummer and told him if it was possible to play the song "Enter Sandman."
At the time, Hammett saw Jordison's mask and he could tell that both of his eyes were crying behind it.
"He was crying because it meant so much for him to be playing 'Sandman' with us at Download. I'll never forget that," the guitarist added.
Unfortunately, Joey Jordison, who had been a drummer for Slipknot for decades, passed away in his sleep at the age of 46 in 2021.
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