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“It was this far from his tennis shoe!” Jason Newsted says that a Metallica fan once threw darts at the band during a show
Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has recounted an incident from a late-1980s Canadian arena show in which a fan threw darts at the band during their performance, one of which narrowly missed frontman James Hetfield. The anecdote highlights the sometimes chaotic touring conditions the band faced early in its career, when shows in smaller markets were less tightly controlled than the large-scale productions Metallica is known for today.
Newsted shared the story during a 30-minute conversation with Blackberry Smoke's Charlie Starr on Rolling Stone's Nashville Podcast, as the two musicians are currently touring North America with their respective bands. He explained that the venue was a 6,000-seat hockey arena that had only sold around 3,000 tickets, prompting organisers to divide the space with a large rubber curtain for sound and atmosphere. Newsted said he saw a dart land just short of Hetfield's foot and the band had to stop the show so the person responsible could be dealt with.
In short
- Jason Newsted recalled a fan throwing darts at Metallica onstage in Canada.
- A dart nearly hit James Hetfield's foot, halting the show.
- Story shared on Rolling Stone's Nashville Podcast with Charlie Starr.
Explained simply
Metallica is one of the world's most successful heavy metal bands and now stages large-scale, heavily secured concert productions. The band has been a major force in rock music since the 1980s, with James Hetfield as frontman. Jason Newsted served as the band's bassist during the late 1980s.
A fan threw darts at Metallica during a concert at a Canadian hockey arena in the late 1980s. One dart came dangerously close to James Hetfield's foot, forcing the band to stop their performance whilst staff dealt with the fan. The venue was a 6,000-seat arena that had only sold around 3,000 tickets.
The incident highlights what touring was like for Metallica in smaller markets during their early years, when shows were less controlled and security measures less developed than today. Such stories provide insight into how concert culture and venue management have changed as bands grew larger and more prominent. The contrast between early touring conditions and modern concert productions shows how the industry has evolved over decades.
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