The Cinematic Swan Song of Metallica’s “S&M2”
Metallica’s new concert film “S&M2” was billed simply as a sequel to their original collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, but the performance ended up being much more. In a bold and emotional set, Metallica reminisce on four decades of their music and the community they built along the way.
Written by Adithya Srinivas
Photo courtesy of The San Francisco Examiner
In the 38 years since frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich met and formed the band, Metallica have ascended from genre pioneers to industry titans, and finally to an immortal part of American music history. But even after nearly four decades of touring, recording, and strugglings with substance abuse, Metallica would be the last to say they are slowing down. Along with lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo, Hetfield and Ulrich would probably continue their exploits ad infinitum if they were given the chance. Still, it’s very hard to deny the sense of finality that their recently released concert film “S&M2” exudes. Whether purposefully or not, Metallica seem to have signaled the beginning of the end to a storied and legendary musical career.
At its surface, “S&M2” is a 20th anniversary celebration of the first “S&M,” both of which are live collaboration albums with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (who constitute the ‘S’ in the title). Yes, Metallica takes the chance to update the setlist with songs from the albums they released since the original 1999 performance, but the significance of “S&M2” comes from the very emotional and wholesome tone Metallica brought to the presentation, rather than the concert itself.
The whole film carries a theme of togetherness, which at first glance can seem corny and shallow, but Metallica’s commitment to it at every level of the production makes it anything but. For starters, the on-site audience was built by the biggest Metallica die-hards they could find. The band didn’t sell tickets to the highest bidder as they did for “S&M,” but instead invited their longest tenured fan club members from dozens of countries around the world, and whatever seats were left were given to the hometown fans. This crowd was packed into the brand new billion-dollar Chase Center in the heart of San Francisco, which — while built for the relocating Golden State Warriors — would host the city’s musical royalty before it ever did a second of basketball.
Photo courtesy of Pollstar
Metallica’s decision to use the film medium also fed into this concept of community. The original “S&M” did not get a theatrical release, and as a result was a purely auditory (albeit Grammy-winning) experience outside of the original performance. With the sequel, Metallica is able to share the visual and physical experience of the concert with all of their fans, not just the ones who attended. The band had also gained experience in concert films with their 2013 release of “Metallica: Through the Never,” and realized through its success that there was a lot of potential in the format, as it allowed them to put huge production value into a single concert and still have it be accessible by a large majority of their fanbase.
The film itself opens with a very candid interview with the band, who describe their “S&M” experience and why they are creating a sequel. Ulrich explains that Metallica were not very invested in the original and that it was more of a passion project of Metallica superfan and the then conductor/arranger for the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Michael Kamen. However, during that performance, the band was awakened to a sense of belonging to something greater than just the four of them: creating music with the larger symphony. Ulrich says that it was this experience that drove Metallica to approach the symphony orchestra with the idea of a sequel. As for the music, “S&M2” follows the ethos of the original, with grand orchestral arrangements enveloping, supporting, and celebrating a setlist of Metallica’s most dramatic and epic compositions.
One highlight of the film was its tribute to the band’s late bassist, Cliff Burton, who was tragically killed in a bus accident in 1986 while the band was touring Sweden. His skill as a songwriter and bassist is credited as one of the biggest reasons why Metallica’s sophomore and junior efforts, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, are considered two of the greatest metal — and, more broadly, rock — albums of all time. Burton was known to be a big fan of classical music, so it was only fitting that the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra’s principal bass player, Scott Pingel, honored his legacy with a beautiful and emotional rendition of Burton’s famous bass solo “(Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth” on an upright electric double bass. This performance brought many in the audience to tears, as it was the first time the song had been performed live since Burton’s untimely passing.
While it is impossible to encompass the depth and breadth of their entire career in one concert, “S&M2” demonstrates exactly what it means to experience Metallica. It is a tribute to the musical prowess and nostalgia of eras gone by and the worldwide community of fans built around a shared enjoyment of their music. Between the rabid crowd, the hometown venue, the grand performance, and the trips down memory lane, “S&M2” is a catharsis for Metallica, who, with nothing left to prove, top their career with one more cherry.