Fierce Legends
Metallica played their first ever concert in Poland (and their first on our side of the Iron Curtain) in 1987 at Spodek in Katowice. I was barely a year old and couldn’t even say “mama” (never mind “metal”), but some older boys from Wałbrzych spoke a bit of English and they were said to have talked their way into the Warszawa Hotel in Katowice (now Novotel) to meet the band for a get-together after the concert. The gig is now the stuff of legend – and a less well-known story goes that James Hetfield really did hang out with a roomful of Polish teenagers, and he turned out to be a really chill guy.
This year, the kings of thrash metal come to the Royal City of Kraków for the first time. The times have changed, capitalism now reigns supreme, so a VIP ticket including a few fleeting moments with the band will set you back a cool 10 000 zlotys. Of course all tickets sold out instantly, regardless of price. But Metallica aren’t just a goldmine – they are forged in a fire of true skill.
Igor Kuranda, magazyn „Karnet”
