There we were – the three of us in the car en route back from Horsens to Copenhagen.

In the middle of the night.

The question had to pop up.

In the middle of the night.

"Why the hell are we doing this?"

Between the three of us we've seen Metallica numerous times during the past 30 years. We also knew in advance – this being a "by request" tour – that we'd know every song this evening like the back of our hands.

So really: What the hell were we doing – yet again on the road in the name of Metallica. Our doctors probably would've prescribed a different way of spending a Tuesday evening and night.

At that moment somebody in the entourage ventured this answer:

"We're having a nice trip. . . And this IS Metallica after all."

Back in the sanatorium
Precisely. It IS Metallica and indeed it WAS Metallica in Horsens Tuesday night, and when you've been voluntarily admitted to Metallica's "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" since the early 1980's ,you're there when Ulrich and co. show up for a concert.

Judging by the Horsens show the good news is that Metallica 33 years into their career deliver as well as ever. In some cases this night overwhelmingly well.

The bad news is that occasionally in 2014 Metallica are getting dangerously close to family entertainment. Crowd pleasing ventures such as having fans on stage to introduce the next song and communal votes for the next song via the screens at the side of the stage does not become the biggest Heavy Metal band in the world.

"Forget that fuckin' circus and play some metal," as one guy succinctly put it.

Good playing
Jokes aside though, Metallica perform excellently these days.

With an opening barrage of "Battery", "Master Of Puppets", "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" and the raging "Ride The Lightning" you'd have to be a coldhearted fool not to acknowledge the majestic mastery of Metallica in their best moments.

Furthermore accented by excellent versions of "Fade To Black", ". . . And Justice For All", "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Creeping Death" and the inevitable "Seek And Destroy".

Metallica beinig Metallica those songs are always worth your while. Especially when they're played like this. I haven't heard "Fade To Black" in particular played with this gusto and intensity for many years.

Then never mind that the usual suspects from "Metallica" (aka "the black album") mostly bear witness to the fact that Metallica  has played those songs way too much and that the band are really not that interested in them anymore.

Approved
All in all this show is approved from these quarters.

Having said that though this show didn't come close to the bands' concert at the Roskilde Festival last year.

The intensity of the Roskilde show was a way more intense and challenging affair – even if the "by request" concept to a certain extent excuses Metallica for the Horsens show not being that way.

Too bad though. Having to settle for a cozy night on the town when you know what this band is really capable of.

It's up to you if a safe and predictable night on the town is enough when Metallica visit said town.