Metallica Burns It Up at Start of Mexico Tour Charlie Glancy - Associated Press
go to original July 30, 2012

Metallica debuted their new stage set up, which commemorates three decades of history, last night in Mexico City during the first of eight shows at Palacio de los Deportes. During the performance of ‘Enter Sandman,’ one of the onstage flare launchers malfunctioned. Two stagehands inspected them, only to be engulfed in a huge flame. You can see video of the pyro-gone-wrong above, with one man appearing to be completely on fire at the bottom left.

MEXICO CITY — Metallica vocalist James Hetfield had warned things could get perilous at the start of the band’s fifth tour of Mexico, saying “We’re very focused on how dangerous this show is.”

The audience of more than 22,000 believed it too. Many of the fans were visibly terrified Saturday night as the band re-enacted its burn-down-the-stage performance from 1998?s “Cunning Stunts” video album.

At one point a technician fled across the stage like a human torch in a Mexico City show that featured explosions, pyrotechnics, laser lights and the odd giant coffin.

Hours earlier Hetfield said the tour would cover the band’s 31 years of performing.

Metallica has scheduled seven more shows at Mexico City’s Sports Palace before heading to dates in San Francisco and Edmonton, Canada.

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