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I was extremely lucky enough to see Cliff Burton, the late bass playing legend for Metallica, at two live gigs in 1986. The first live experience I had seeing Metallica with Cliff Burton was in a large club setting, (The West Hartford Ballroom, West Hartford, Connecticut). Metal Church opened for Metallica, what a night. The second live gig I experienced seeing Cliff Burton was a rather very large gig. Metallica opened for none other than – Ozzy Osbourne! This exciting concert took place at the New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, Connecticut). (During 1986, Metallica was touring in support of their album “Master of Puppets” and Ozzy Osbourne was touring in support of his album “The Ultimate Sin”) My Metal memory cannot recall the exact dates of these shows, yet they both occurred in the brutally cold Winter months of 1986!

Let me say this much, as I witnessed Cliff Burton up close, in the large club setting, I still never have witnessed, to this very day, another Metal bass player that was so electrifying and physically into the music as Cliff was. It was because of Cliff Burton that I emulated his style of headbanging! Cliff Burton, from seeing him so up close that night, made it so vividly clear to me, that he was the master of his bass guitar, he was really enjoying the music he was playing. I could see in his face, the raw and yet enthusiastic emotion of what Thrash Metal really was. I will never forget that night, nor can I forget seeing Cliff Burton truly feel the Thrash music he was playing. Again, this is my own personal, live, first hand account from what I witnessed while watching Cliff Burton play his bass. (I of course remember James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett too from that night!).

The New Haven concert was of course, bigger, therefore my nose bleed seat did not afford me the exclusiveness of being up close to the stage this time around. However, I did witness Metallica with Cliff Burton for a second time, live – they literally blew the roof off the coliseum with their brand of Thrash Metal fury! I remember gazing down on the entire stage, revering Metallica, taking it all in, taking each person on that stage for granted. Now, reflecting back, I grin while thinking of the New Haven concert. On that night, the thrill of seeing Metallica was euphoric to say the least, yet I was also equally thrilled that night to see Ozzy Osbourne on stage too. Just to pause for a moment, I and no one else for that matter on that particular evening, knew, that this very well would be the last time we would see the great Cliff Burton play his bass guitar live. These Metal life lessons have taught me to no longer take any person you enjoy for granted. Reflecting on these terrific Metal moments of my past reminds me, to cherish the moments I have today, to cherish family, friends, Metal music and good times. 

Clifford Lee Burton – February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986

Congratulations, Cliff Burton, on your induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with your band Metallica, on April 4, class of 2009! 

This entry was posted on April 4, 2009 at 3:47 am and is filed under concerts, Guitar, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, james hetfield, Metal, Metal Church, metal concerts, Metallica, Music, Rock, Thrash Metal with tags bass guitar, cliff burton, Heavy Metal, james hetfield, kirk hammett, lars ulrich, Metal, Metallica, Music, Ozzy Osbourne, rock and roll hall of fame, Thrash Metal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.