Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett closed out the band’s Australian tour with a final, fitting “doodle,” paying tribute to the nation’s rock and roll royalty during their November 15 show at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
The mid-set interlude, a celebrated feature of Metallica‘s recent tours, saw the duo perform a medley of Australian hard rock classics. Hammett kicked things off with the iconic opening riff of AC/DC‘s “For Those About To Rock,” an appropriate nod given that AC/DC is simultaneously on their own stadium tour of the country. Trujillo then took over lead vocals for a raw, high-energy rendition of Rose Tattoo‘s 1977 anthem, “Nice Boys.”
These “doodles,” as the band calls them, have become a highlight of Metallica‘s stadium shows. They serve as a pared-down moment where Trujillo and Hammett connect with the local audience by covering songs from their musical heroes, often from that specific country.
In a November 2021 interview with MMA Junkie, Robert Trujillo spoke about the origin and personal significance of these duets, calling them some of the proudest moments of his career.
“Nobody knows what we’re gonna play — kind of like street musicians,” Trujillo said, explaining the stripped-back, “naked” feel of the performance. “Lars and James are taking a break. We walk out there. He’s got his guitar; I’ve got my bass. It’s almost like, ‘Where’s the hat?’ Where do they put the money?”
Trujillo detailed the incredible crowd reaction when they performed “Ma Gueule” by Johnny Hallyday at the Stade De France in Paris for 85,000 people.
“I’m telling you — people were in shock, but in a good way. And it was tears and smiles, and it made the news.”
He also explained the immense challenge he and Hammett undertake with these covers, which often requires Trujillo to sing in the native language of the country they are in.
“That, to me, was one of the highlight moments of my entire existence as a musician, especially in Metallica, because I don’t even know if I could ever do that again,” Trujillo stated. “We’re talking about Romania, we’re talking Poland, we’re talking Spain and Portugal and Sweden — I sang in Swedish… The duet moments overseas — huge for me personally.”
