The Four Horseman at the International

It seems like tribute bands are a trend these days in live music. Right about now, there is one for every classic rock band.  Music lovers want to see "the real thing," but most of the original band may be no longer with us.  While I have such tribute bands as the Beatles and KISS,  I have added Metallica to that list.

I may express this with ease, but there's a part of me that feels old; I can't wrap my mind around this.  Has Metallica really made that big of an impact on my generation?  After all, this was the reason I went out to see the Four Horsemen.



For the music snobs reading this, you may be shaking your head and wondering why I did this.  Nothing can beat "the real thing".  No one can come close to duplicating the raw metal James Hetfield elicited in "Master of Puppets," "Enter Sandman," and "For Whom the Bell Tolls."  I certainly agree with that, but please hear me out...

The Four Horsemen: The Masters of Metallica (Sean Perry, lead vocals; Mike "Pete" McCollum, bass; Mikey Liles, lead guitar; and Rich Hattery, drums) of Cleveland, Ohio, came to Knoxville for the first time ever last night.   They delivered well all of the hits we children of the '80s have loved and known this band for...and worn out the lettering of cassette tapes of back in the day.

For a band that had never set foot in the Volunteer State, they have this sixth sense of the state, city and specific venue to play. I loved (but wasn't entirely surprised at) how there is a remnant of people who love this music and the Knoxville music scene to come out and see a band play these early thrash hits. If knowledge serves me correctly, they played only songs from the early Metallica era, no later than The Black Album.  I'm glad I wasn't the only one who had that same partiality.

Something (or the lack of it) that allowed the Four Horsemen more than plenty of time to play: no opening band. No worries: A Metallica tribute band needs two hours to pre-1991 songs.  There was more to classic Metallica than I realized.  Time for me to take Metallica 201 at the School of Rock.  My pencil is sharpened and my mind is clear.

Those who go to the International on a regular basis know too well that when a band plays heavy bass and/or drums (particularly double bass drum), the floor vibrates or shakes.  Music moving through you and righteous, raucous rock at their finest, hands down.  In all the times I have been there, I don't think it had shaken in such a way that I had to regain my balance.  What that tells me:  Cliff Burton heard it and was pleased. Way to go, Pete! And props to the booking manager.

For all intents and purposes, a tribute band is to "imitate" the band they're playing,.  That may include talking and acting on stage the way the original band would.  Therefore, for anyone who's not partial to this genre might rethink going to a show like this. Let me make this public in saying you do not have to like Metallica to see them. Getting inside the head of someone with softer tastes in music, they can come to this show and maintain an objective mindset. In so doing, they will be impressed with how strong Metallica's impact has made, at this point, spanning over 30 years.  You may even chuckle at Sean's reminisces of tapes, vinyl (and maybe even 8-tracks).  Having said that, the Four Horsemen is a group of super-talented, genuinely passionate rock musicians who were inspired by those fast, intricate chords of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" or "One." Their way of saying "thank you" to Metallica is to play their music and to display a laid-back stage presence. Oh, and let me mention lead guitarist Mikey Liles' smile all through the show.

In addition to lead singer Sean Perry's outright talent in unleashing Metallica hits, his raps between songs (drinking PowerAde) were so appropriate, and I might even say, refreshing. A definite focus on originals, forsaking the ad nauseam remastering of albums and remembering a favorite song on "Side B" of a cassette tape or vinyl record of Ride the Lightning.

Mikey Lile, lead guitar

Sean Perry, lead vocals

Rich Hattery, drums

"Pete" McCollum, bass

This show made me think of a lost aspect of music:  Remembering forever the order of songs on an original album, not to mention knowing every chord, every beat, and every word.  For those old-timers like me who have known Metallica since the Master of Puppets era (circa 1986), you'd know that "Battery" is followed by the title track, and "Enter Sandman" is followed by "Sad But True" on the Black Album. I'm sure that was the band's intention.  This was the first rock show I had been to that made me remember something that was so important to me back then (and still is).

Approximately halfway through the set, they played the immortal "Enter Sandman." A lot of people had left after that song. They may have been satisfied they had heard this one song.  That must have served as the make-or-break point.  Apparently, I was eager to hear more, wanting to hear what else they would play.  I'm glad I did.  They played "Wherever I May Roam."  I didn't think about this then, but it reminded me of when the cassette tape I had had of the Black Album broke when that song played. If I remember correctly, it was right before the drums come in at the beginning of the song (sorry, Lars). My going to this show may have been my way of paying tribute to that moment.