METALLICA Played Their First Gig Ever 40 Years Ago Today

Metallica played their first-ever show exactly 40 years ago today at Radio City in Anaheim, CA. The show featured the still-present James Hetfield on vocals and Lars Ulrich on drums, as well as Dave Mustaine on guitar and Ron McGovney on bass. Mustaine would be fired from the band in 1983 and would go on to form Megadeth, while McGovney would leave the band later that same year in 1982.

The setlist for the show was as follows, which consisted mostly of cover songs (some of which are still in rotation today). Metallica wouldn't record their classic 1982 demo No Life 'Til Leather with the above lineup until July of that year, so the amount of cover songs makes sense.

1. Hit The Lights
2. Blitzkrieg (Blitzkrieg cover)
3. Helpless (Diamond Head cover)
4. Jump In The Fire
5. Let It Loose (Savage cover)
6. Sucking My Love (Diamond Head cover)
7. Am I Evil? (Diamond Head cover)
8. The Prince (Diamond Head cover)
9. Killing Time (Sweet Savage cover)