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.