As Metallica members were greeted by screams from fans that filled San Francisco's Cow Palace (Mon., Dec. 30), singer/guitarist James Hetfield growled, "Oh Yeah?"

When the audience responded, he replied, "So fuckin' what?" and barrelled into Metallica's cover of Anti-Nowhere League's "So What?" It wasn't until halfway through the song that the lights went down and the band was bathed in colored rays.

Thus began the show that marked Metallica's return to their home town. Metallica is one of those bands that can be counted on to produce an entertaining show, and each time they tour their sets, lights and effects increase in complexity. When I entered the Cow Palace I had already prepared myself for anything. Last time, their stage included a "snakepit" where fans could mosh while surrounded by the band; how could they outdo themselves? Rest assued, Metallica managed it.

Korn opened the show, warming up the semi-present audience with a half-hour set of kinetic thrash-and-fuzz. Highlights included singer Jonathan Davis playing "Tequila!" on bagpipes, and a cameo by Chino of the Deftones. But the crowd was hungry for something bigger.

The stage itself was a kind of a three-ring circus composed of three circles in a line, two of which were solid stages. The middle circle was rimmed with platforms which allowed the musicians to move from one end of the set to the other, while inside the middle circle, down on the floor, a number of crew operated the elaborate lights and pyrotechnics that completed the show.

A five-foot-wide walkway was set up around the edge of the stage, and as soon as the members of Metallica began emerging from backstage it was clear what that walkway was for. Jason Newsted appeared first, running the length of the course slapping hands with fans in the front row before disappearing into the center of the stage to retrieve his bass. Singer James Hetfield followed, and then guitarist Kirk Hammett and drummer Lars Ulrich jogged past, greeting audience members and finally taking the stage.

It didn't take long for the flames and explosions to begin; loud eruptions of smoke and light punctuated the introduction to "Creeping Death." The older tune highlighted the change in Hetfield's voice over time: the adolescent tinniness is gone from his voice, replaced by a mature, and occasionally melodic, rumble. During the chorus Hetfield shared the spotlight with thousands of fans who knew every word.

The theme of Metallica's show, if there is one, was the setting up of rock paradigms only to knock them down again. At one point Hetfield said, "We came here to kick some ass;" ten years ago he would have screamed the phrase in a rage, but this time it was a complete deadpan.

Metallica did not betray their beginnings, however, and they included a number of older songs and covers in their set. Newsted (who took over when bassist Cliff Burton was killed in 1986) took the honors at the microphone for "Whiplash" as Hetfield worked the crowd, playing guitar as fans stood inches away. "For Whom The Bell Tolls" was treated with an extended intro, while "Fade to Black"'s rumination on suicide was even more emotive with Hetfield's newfound vocal range.

Recent songs abounded on Monday night as well, though they were often blended with classic tunes to provide some continuity. "Ain't My Bitch" was heavy, rounded and as powerful as anything Metallica has ever done; folks got out their lighters for the melancholy "Bleeding Me," which was drawn out beautifully by the band.

Later, a medley blended a long, gorgeous instrumental section by Newsted and Hammett which featured the intros to "My Friend of Misery" and "Sanitarium" before moving into "Nothing Else Matters." The song began with Hetfield sitting, folk-singer-style, on a stool and playing solo as a single spotlight shone down. During the noisier bridge, the rest of the band had come in and Hetflied kicked the stool down in a movement of sheer heavy-metal pride. The outro segued seamlessly to "Until It Sleeps," completing a pastiche which spanned nearly a decade of the band's music.

"One," the song which made Metallica MTV darlings, was the centerpiece of the set. As the taped gunshots and helicopter sounds began, so did the flares and explosions. Loud bombs and blinding flashes of light left a blanket of smoke through which the band played. It was a powerful and unifying moment, as the crowd's energy and love for the song filled the theater.

Remarkably, Metallica managed to create a sense of intimacy between themselves and an audience comprised of some 20,000 people. Hetfield was friendlier than he's been in years past, joking with the crowd and showing some humility. "Did you miss Metallica?" He asked at one point. When the crowd responded in the affirmative he replied, "You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"

Between songs, Hetfield suggested he was going to get the audience to dance; his bandmates played an unrecognizable -- but danceable -- tune as he sang, "Aaay, macarena." During the encore, he humbly qipped, "It seems like you're still here. We're going to play some more songs, if you'd like." But his tone changed when the screams of "Yes!" filled the Cow Palace. "No!" he barked in response before launching into the Misfits' "Last Caress."

The encore included an elaborate surprise ending during "Enter Sandman" which was more than worth waiting for. While I'm not about to ruin it for you, it was a scene that not only razzed every overdone stage setup in the history of rock, but made a play on the technical difficulties Metallica had during their last tour. To cap the three-hour set, the band played Diamondhead's "Am I Evil?" and their own "Motorbreath," then said goodnight.

Musically, Metallica has never been stronger live. The fact that they could keep time while scattered across the stage, or down in the crowd, is a skill that many other groups only dream of. Ulrich is using a much smaller drum set this time around, keeping to a few toms and cymbals though he's held onto the two bass drums. Hammett's playing was expectedly stunning, if a little rough in places. But with the overproduction of the last three albums his occasional fumble is refreshing.

What's most noticeable is that Metallica truly plays as a band now. All four members have a hand in writing the music, and that collaboration shines through in the live arena. Their latest tour is something to see, even for folks who don't like their "new" sound. Metallica continues to shed preconceived notions and put on one of the best shows in rock 'n' roll.

This article was originally published in Addicted to Noise.