By Francesc Borrull · September 23, 2024

Remembering my first heavy metal concert is like revisiting a distant dream, where the roaring guitars and thunderous drums blend with the haze of memory. After some hard thinking and a little help from the vast reaches of the internet, I can confidently pinpoint the night: September 24, 1991, at the Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic in Barcelona, where the Monsters of Rock reigned supreme.

The lineup was a headbanger’s dream: AC/DC, Metallica, Tesla, and Legion. Tickets were a steal at 4,000 PTA (about $20.00), and with a capacity crowd of 50,000, the stadium crackled with anticipation. Accompanied by my brother, a die-hard AC/DC aficionado, I, a devout Metallica disciple, ventured into the heart of heavy metal.

The evening kicked off with Legion, a local act whose performance faded into obscurity amidst the excitement. Tesla followed suit, but my mind was consumed by the impending spectacle: Metallica. With Jason Newsted on bass, they unleashed a torrent of sound, fueled by the recent release of their eponymous fifth album. The setlist reads like a metal manifesto:

• Enter Sandman
• Creeping Death
• Harvester of Sorrow
• Fade to Black
• Sad But True
• Master of Puppets (abbreviated)
• Seek & Destroy
• For Whom the Bell Tolls
• One
• Whiplash

Encore:

• Last Caress
• Am I Evil?
• Battery

Each chord resonated deeply within my soul, each note a thunderclap of raw emotion that stirred something primal within me. It wasn’t just music; it was a symphony of power and passion that seized me in its grip, refusing to let go. I was swept away by the sheer magnitude of it all, overwhelmed by the intensity that pulsed through the air. In those electrifying moments, I felt alive in a way I had never experienced before, as if every riff and every beat was a revelation, a testament to the transcendent power of music. It was more than just a concert; it was an awakening, a moment of profound clarity that left an indelible mark on my soul.

As Metallica’s echoes faded, AC/DC assumed the stage, closing the night with their trademark flair. Though not my primary allegiance, their performance, fueled by the energy of recently released The Razors Edge album, left an indelible mark:

• Thunderstruck
• Shoot to Thrill
• Back in Black
• Hell Ain’t a Bad Place to Be
• Fire Your Guns
• Jailbreak
• The Jack
• Moneytalks
• Hells Bells
• High Voltage
• Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
• Highway to Hell
• Whole Lotta Rosie
• Let There Be Rock

Encore:

• T.N.T.
• For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

Angus Young’s electrifying antics and Brian Johnson’s gravelly vocals ignited the crowd, their seasoned performance a testament to years of stage mastery. The polished delivery, combined with elaborate stagecraft including cannons, the hells bells, and iconic stage maneuvers, elevated the atmosphere to a fever pitch. We were swept up in a whirlwind of euphoria, caught in the thrall of AC/DC’s unparalleled showmanship.

Though time has veiled many details of that fateful night, the essence remains etched in my soul. It was more than just a concert; it was a pilgrimage to the sanctum of metal, a sacred space where dreams converged with reality. In the pulsating heartbeat of the crowd, I found a communion with my fellow headbangers, united in our shared love for the music that defined us. It was a cathartic transformation, a journey of self-discovery as the raw energy of the music coursed through my veins, washing away the trivialities of daily life. In that moment, the power of music transcended time itself, transporting us to a realm where anything was possible. Live music isn’t just entertainment; it’s a transcendent experience, a reminder of the boundless potential of the human spirit and the profound connection we share through sound and rhythm. And to have shared that experience with my brother, with whom I was so very close at the time, added an invaluable layer of meaning and connection to the night’s memories.

© Francesc Borrull, 2024

P.S. For further exploration, delve into the Metallica madness here and the AC/DC antics here and here. If you’re curious, a full concert video recording of the Metallica performance, albeit in very poor quality, exists here. Similarly, you can access the AC/DC full concert here, although only in sound and also of poor quality. Additionally, Televisió de Catalunya reported on the Monsters of Rock concert. You can watch the report here.

P.S. 2: I’ve compiled all the studio tracks mentioned in this blog post for easy access here.