Former Metallica bassist Ron McGovney is known for sharing his exclusive insights into Metallica’s history on social media. Recently, the bassist took to X to clarify another misperception regarding the band’s first-ever live show. Unlike popular belief, Ron claimed Metallica’s first performance as a band wasn’t as impressive as commonly thought. McGovney stated in his latest post:
“The first show was definitely not groundbreaking. Believe me. I was there. More groundbreaking would be the first time we played in San Francisco after ‘No Life Til Leather’ was recorded.”
In his post, McGovney reacted to an article on Metal Hammer listing Metallica’s 10 pivotal shows during their career. The list started with their very first show at Radio City, on March 14, 1982. The lineup included Dave Mustaine and Ron McGovney, in addition to James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich.
James Hetfield Was Disappointed With Metallica’s First Live Performance
Although it might come as a surprise to hear Metallica delivering a disappointing performance, James Hetfield similarly expressed his dissatisfaction with the band’s initial show, considering it rather embarrassing.
In a previous interview with Kerrang, reported by Guitar World, the frontman revealed various mishaps during the performance, including Dave Mustaine breaking a string and facing difficulty in swiftly resolving the issue. James recalled their disappointment by saying:
“The first gig was at Radio City, and I was just singing. There were a lot of people there, maybe 200, because we had all my school friends and all Lars’ and Ron’s and Dave’s buddies. I was really nervous and a little uncomfortable without a guitar, and then, during the first song, Dave broke a string. It seemed to take him an eternity to change it, and I was standing there really embarrassed. We were really disappointed afterward.”
You can see Ron McGovney’s post about Metallica’s first concert on X below.
The first show was definitely not ground breaking. Believe me. I was there. More ground breaking would be the first time we played in San Francisco after No Life Til Leather was recorded.
— Ron McGovney (@RonMcGovney) January 8, 2024
