A few weeks ago, Nickelback rolled through our Setlist.fm studio to record a tour announcement (see here) - while they were here, they indulged our request to hear about some of their most memorable moments as fans themselves. The Alberta rockers counted Metallica, Rush and Iron Maiden amongst their formative experiences, with a little bonus bit from an opening band called Guns N Roses. Hear them tell it:
Metallica x2
Chad: "First time seeing the band, first time concert, everything. I was 13 and the guy next to me asked me if I want to partake in a doobie. Having never been high before, I have no idea what I'm supposed to expect. I'm now really high with massive amounts of anxiety, and everyone else is devil horns in the air. Mike, you were at my left and for the third time that day, Mike looks at me and goes, 'What's wrong with you?'"
"Then we went to the Black Album, 1990. Lars said on stage, we're gonna go to this bar that we like to hang at called Rock Central Station, which is long gone. So we went to Rock Central Station and in walks James and Lars. James orders a Heineken, looks over at me and does a James Hetfield one of these. And I just about pissed my pantsand I turned to Brandon, our cousin, I go, 'Did you see?' He goes, 'I saw, I saw.'"
Rush
Daniel: "Rush in 1990 on the Presto Tour and Primus opened up for them. I had been playing drums for two and a half years. I was making my way through Rush's and Primus' catalog, you know, not ever seeing a concert and seeing your heroes in action and experiencing that, the audio. I mean my jaw was just on the floor the whole time. Tim Alexander, he had two 18 inch by 18 inch bass drums. These tiny little, it was just all--"
Mike: "That's small."
Daniel: "All punch."
Ryan: "Ticky-tacky yeah."
Daniel: "My sister bought me the ticket. She actually bought me my first drum set too 'cause she knew I was really into it, so. Wow, I should send her a check or something."
Iron Maiden (and Gun N Roses)
Ryan: "This was in 1988. They were headlining and the opener was like a little band called Guns N’ Roses at the time."
Mike: "I've heard of them."
Ryan: "Yeah, they've done well. All across the front of the stage, it just went (boom) and you're just blinded, like just absolutely blinded and you're just waiting for your eyesight to come back. And then Steve Harris is up there with his foot up on the--"
Daniel: "Spandex and foot on the monitor."
Ryan: "Just ripped like instantly there and they're, they're just bouncing around everywhere. I'm just like, holy sh*t. Guns N’ Roses, opening though."
Chad: "Just wait for it."
Ryan: "He was getting ripped on."
Chad: "Who was?"
Ryan: "Axl Rose was."
Chad: "There you go."
Ryan: "By somebody in the crowd and he just like drops his mic just jumps down. He just starts like fighting with somebody in the front row. Like my first concert, the band is like battling the crowd."
Chad: "Welcome to Alberta."
Daniel: "That is an Alberta thing."
Ryan: "Yeah, and it was tough. I mean it was pretty gritty there. But anyway, these guys are awesome and it really, I mean just the show just inspired you. Like I went home and you just played."
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