James Hetfield Gets Emotional During Metallica Concert

2021-05-19

Metallica press photo, featuring James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo.

Metallica – Story by Cat Badra, photo by Ross Halfin

During a recent Metallica concert in Brazil, James Hetfield paused to share some personal thoughts with the crowd

Metal greats Metallica are on tour in Brazil, and things got emotional during a concert last week. At the Estádio do Mineirão concert in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Hetfield opened up about his insecurities and why he gets a bit nervous about performing as he gets older. All of his bandmates even gave him a big onstage hug in support during the show, too.

Before performing the Metallica favorite “Sad but True,” Hetfield, 58, said to the crowd, “I’ve gotta tell you, I wasn’t feeling very good before I came out here. Feeling a little bit insecure, like I’m an old guy, can’t play anymore — all this bullshit that I tell myself in my head. So I talked to these guys, and they helped me — as simple as that. They gave me a hug and said, ‘Hey, if you’re struggling onstage, we’ve got your back.’ And I tell you, it means the world to me.”

After his small speech, the rest of Metallica – Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo – walked over to Hetfield and gave him a huge hug. Hetfield teared up and said, “And seeing you out there, I am not alone. I am not alone. And neither are you.”

It’s no secret that Hetfield has dealt with addiction throughout his life. His most recent trip to rehab was in 2019. In a 2021 interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, he stated, “The word ‘unraveling’ is a great word, like unlearning, unlearning all of what happened before. That was a part of me, for sure, but it dominated all of me. And the parts that weren’t happy about me — there’s a huge codependence and insecurity, a lot of that — that… Gosh, I can’t… I’m no good without these guys. Who am I? Off tour, it’s, like, ‘Who am I?'”

In other news, Metallica will be back in the U.S. later this month to headline the BottleRock Napa festival on May 27 and Boston Calling on May 29. Then, they’ll fly off to Europe for a tour in June. The band will be back in the States for a headlining performance at Lollapalooza in Chicago on July 28, as well as headlining concerts in a handful of U.S. cities. Find the band’s current tour roster via their official website.

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Cat Badra

Meet the expert - Cat Badra is a music writer for Audio Ink Radio and a range of other music, sports and lifestyle publications. She's a graduate of Michigan State University with a master's degree in theater and speech. Contact her at cat@audioinkradio.com.