During Metallica‘s concert at Toronto’s Rogers Centre on April 26th, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo paid tribute to Canadian rock legends Rush with a rendition of their instrumental classic “La Villa Strangiato.” Fan-filmed footage captured the performance, which occurred during the duo’s now-signature mid-show segment.
This performance is part of the “doodles,” as the band calls them – unique moments in recent Metallica tours where Hammett and Trujillo step out alone to cover songs by artists they admire. These interpretations are typically stripped-down, featuring just guitar and bass, with Trujillo occasionally handling vocals, and often showcase music far removed from Metallica‘s metal roots, frequently honoring local musical heroes.
The concept evolved over time, as Trujillo explained during a 2020 appearance on Avenged Sevenfold bassist Johnny Christ‘s show, “Drinks With Johnny.” Initially, the duo tried playing Metallica deep cuts, but it didn’t quite connect with the audience.
“We’d go up there and we’d start playing, like, ‘Eye Of The Beholder‘ or something, and then the crowd’s expecting James [Hetfield] to come out and sing, and it’s, like, ‘Man, this ain’t working,'” Trujillo recalled. The turning point came when Hammett spontaneously played Chic‘s “Le Freak” one night. “I’m, like, ‘Oh, damn. Okay, I see where he’s going.’… He got me the first night… And then the second night, I got it.”
Since then, the doodles have become a tour highlight, allowing the pair to explore diverse musical territories and connect with local audiences on a different level. Trujillo described the experience, particularly covering songs in native languages during a European tour, as immensely rewarding.
“Some of my proudest moments were with Kirk on the last European tour… playing songs that were sort of native to those cities or even those countries,” Trujillo told MMA Junkie in 2021. He cited playing Johnny Hallyday‘s “Ma Gueule” in Paris as an example. “Eighty-five thousand people… people were in shock, but in a good way. And it was tears and smiles… I’m singing in the [native] language… We’re talking about Romania, we’re talking Poland… Spain and Portugal and Sweden — I sang in Swedish. That, to me, was one of the highlight moments of my entire existence as a musician.”
Hammett acknowledged the inherent risk in choosing relatively obscure local songs but emphasized the positive reactions they often receive. “We’re taking a chance and playing it in a stadium in front of 60,000 people, and we’re hoping that we make the right choice,” he told Cosmo Music in 2019. While admitting some choices didn’t land: “We played [The Zero Boys], people go, ‘Huh?'”, he highlighted successes like covering Loretta Lynn in Nashville, which earned praise from the country legend herself.
The band has also announced several upcoming international appearances. They are scheduled to perform at the after-race concert for the 2025 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Yas Island on December 6th. Just days prior, on December 3rd, Metallica will make their debut performance in Bahrain at the Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre.
Furthermore, the band recently unveiled plans for a new film titled “Metallica Saved My Life“, directed by acclaimed director Jonas Åkerlund. The film aims to explore the profound connection between the band and its fanbase over the past four decades. In a statement, Metallica described the project: “‘Metallica Saved My Life’ explores our world through the lives of fans who have supported each other through highs, lows, trials, and triumphs for over four decades. And yeah, we’re in it a little bit too.” The film is expected to be released as a work-in-progress during the spring and summer of 2025.
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