I’ve been mulling over something that came up in discussions about Metallica’s Melbourne show last Friday, and it’s got me thinking about what’s happened to live music crowds – or maybe what’s happened to us.

First off, let me say this: Metallica delivered. Of course they did. You don’t become one of the biggest metal bands in history by phoning it in. The production was spectacular, the setlist was solid (even if some folks were hoping for Fade To Black), and watching them tear through their catalogue was everything you’d expect from a band that’s been doing this for four decades. One person mentioned getting emotional when The Ecstasy Of Gold started, and honestly, I get it. There’s something about those iconic moments that hit differently when you’re actually there.