November 2021

tion and Rise Against were the lead-ins to Metallica’s second set, and they were more than up to the task. I was especially enamored with Social Distortion. How many pints have I drunk at Pike in Long Beach? I couldn’t say. But every time I am there I think about seeing Social Distortion and finally now I have. A great high-energy band. The closing act was Metallica, giving their second performance. They played the Black album in its en- tirety, backwards, like they had done at Louder Than Life, and they also added a few other hits at the front and back. A band playing more than once at a festival has been done before, but not at this kind of scale. It might have seemed like a risky undertaking when it was proposed a couple years ago, but it certainly paid off. Metallica played with ferocity and passion, clos- ing the festival with their signature style and class. Aftershock is one of my favorite festivals, one of three that I always attend every year (Psycho Las Vegas and Heavy Montreal are the other two). This year, despite all the challenges and the rapidly changing landscape for large-scale live events, the promoter, Danny Wimmer Presents, delivered an unparalleled expe- rience for fans. Aftershock 2021 was a magnificent success from every angle and on every level. Mark me down for 2022. Check out even more photos HERE! 18