Metallica - riot at Metallica concert - Monsters Of Rock - 24-07-1988

kevinestrada.wordpress.com/200...
articles.latimes.com/1988-07-2...
Filmed on stage by Kirk's brother in law

[@rhondad8670]

I WAS there!!. I was 19. My finance and I rushed from our seats when the fence barrier got torn down and ended up at the very front. BEST time of my life and I am so glad I found this on here. I am there somewhere in the front screaming my metal head off. FUCK THE CHAIRS, FUCK THE CHAIRS people were screaming and throwing them up and they pulled the plug and the band asked everyone to calm down. I am 45 and remember it like yesterday. :o)

[@jenniferw8963]

Very cool, I was there too and saw it all unfold.. see my other reply in this thread heh. I was 18. Everyone was sitting in the chairs when Kingdom Come was playing lol. I didn't go there during Metallica, but after it calmed down I went down there to see Dokken near front row.. my favorite band then. By the way I read an interview with Jeff Pilson (bassist of Dokken). Interviewer asked him what was his most favorite gig.. and he said monsters of rock in 1988 in los angeles--i.e. this very same day and place.. very cool.. because I was there and they were my fav band. They really rocked.. all the bands did. I love Scorps and especially Van Halen. Eddie rocked the guitar and keyboards like a mad man.

[@AxellRosas36]

Rhonda D It's great when you fuck up a bands performance that people paid to see :)

[@rhondad8670]

Axell Rosas lol.. and the band's played on. it was a great time and I experienced it. sorry if you were there and it ruined your day. j

[@rhondad8670]

ben richards They had been playing and the plug got pulled the plug and asked everyone to calm down so they could keep playing. then they started playing again. it was actually pretty tame compared to the stuff that goes on today imo.

[@rhondad8670]

ben richards oh wow Moscow! so cool. this was in LA ,California.

[@teevandy]

The girls, the beer, the Metal and being 17. Monsters of Rock 1988. The mad crowd rush from the bleachers. Cops and security guards belting Metalheads with batons while metalheads beat down the cops and security. Legendary concert! Metallica was breaking out that day. We heard them. Yeah, I was there, mid floor -mid field rushing down from the stands during the craziness starting near the nosebleeds. 45 mins later I was touching Don Dokken's foot while almost being trampled! I still remember the pressure of the crowd almost pucturing my chest from the broken banquet chairs on the ground. It was an intense struggle to get up front and Ill never forget it. Im 6'4" so I was able to raise my head above the heat and sweat temperature level suffocating shorter people. It was tough to breathe. The fresh air above was such a relief! It got rough, no deaths. So memorable! The GOAT concert. Believe it or not, Scorpions took it that day. So I've been to hundreds of shows; metal ahows., this is still the greatest concert of my life!

[@IdunGOOFEd]

It's funny how everyone commenting says "I was there". Must have been pretty crazy for people to look up a video of this 30 years later and tell their stories

[@JacobJacob2]

swordbutcher No need to get your panties in a bunch.

[@CannibaLouiST]

Wish there were HD footages.....

[@BazookaToe]

I wasn't at this one but I saw the Memphis stop of the tour. Same thing happened before the Scorpions came on but I think it was just the heat driving everyone crazy, just a bunch of garbage being thrown.

[@troygerrets5882]

I was stationed at Edwards AFB and I was there, our car broke down on the way from the desert, and we hitch hiked all the way to the L.A. Coliseum with our beer cooler!

[@thatsgottahurt666]

I was at the show at Giants stadium for this tour, it was bedlam...just to have these vids from that era on here is awesome.

[@Mandoland73]

I was there. Metallica hit and things went ape shit. I was sitting in the bleachers. People would swirl down onto the field from their seats (literally it looked like a swirl of people) from one section so security would control that part. Then it would happen at another section so security would race to that section and try to control it until it went full on swirls of people rushing the stage. From the back, I could just see gobs of white chairs marching towards the stage. Back then, you didn't have phones and they played "Harvester of Sorrow" for the first time so I memorized the riffs so I could show my friends what a song from "And Justice for All" would sound like. So anyway...Metallica was insane. The crowd was insane and there were pits going off all around the field. Dokken was good but it was really chill. Mick Brown threw his tom drum into the crowd and this dude ran up my isle with the drum over his head with blood trickling down his hair, face and chest. Scorpions hit and the crowd was still on fire. Klaus Meine asked the crowd to do a wave and the wave kept going throughout the whole song. Van Halen hit and a trash fight broke out. I'm sitting in my seat and could see a cloud of debris coming from the right side of the stage (facing) and it got closer and closer. Next thing I know, I'm hit with a cold rush of Sprite soda on my back so I grabbed some trash and threw it out and the whole thing continued all the way around the coliseum. The crowd was chaotic in the best way....not dangerous - just chaotic. The energy that day .... amazing.

[@MKrip808]

Mando Padilla I was at the Arrowhead concert and the same exact thing happened between Scorpians and Van Halen. The trash riot started in the same exact place as well in the upper right of the stadium facing the stage. I damn near got suffocated in a crowd push when Van Halen came on. We have been sprayed down mercilessly by security up there in front and when the push happened, I got smashed into the back of this humongous wet woman who's back was bare since she was wearing a one piece swimsuit. I tried to inhale and all I would take in was moisture, sweat and salt from the fat of her back. I was frightened and though I might die. I finally was able to slide off to her left, get a few breaths of air and got the fuck out of the front area of the crowd.

[@Mandoland73]

Haha great story!

[@goooglebites5084]

Mando Padilla these fgs were done as soon as master came out,, this is the tardtallica fans after they turned into a radio rock band

[@b.464]

i was there too i joined in rushing to the front...it was crazy

[@hankgege2199]

@Mando Padilla I was also there in the seats. I was 15 and my first concert and was there with my mom. She didn't let me rush the stage. I was pissed Metallica was my favorite band at the time

[@Swegor]

I'm 55 years old from Sweden.This was the first time i saw them live.I was on a vacation in Los Angeles that summer.Shit got CRAZY when Metallica came on stage . Best concert memory ever I had my camera with me.Have some photos from both Metallica and Van Halen.

[@bathtub_jim7652]

I was at this show. I often wondered who's brilliant idea it was to put chairs on the field.

[@1sandinista]

I drove with some friends from Las Vegas to L.A. for this concert. We were up in the bleachers, but when Metallica came on and the fence all around the Coliseum went down like a deck of cards, we decided to walk onto the field like everyone else. But the closer we got to the stage, the less we could see and it was actually very dangerous, so I tried to back up some so I could get a better view from a distance, but it was impossible due to the insane amount of people crushing you forward. It was actually a very uncomfortable experience right up through Van Halen. This girl with bumper stickers on her big boobs came up to me and asked me if she could get on my shoulders, but I couldn't grant her wish as much as I wanted to. I also remember Klaus Meine of the Scorpions trying to tell people up in the stands to do the wave, but nobody was understanding his thick German accent. When Van Halen came on finally, I had a hard time seeing them because I was so far up front. I was almost looking straight up at Sammy Hagar from where I was at towards the left of the stage. I can't remember which band was playing earlier, but I remember everyone where I was standing, pointing up towards the upper deck of the bleachers, because there was a girl sitting on some guys lap facing the crowd, apparently riding his C...She didn't seem to care. When the concert ended, I got separated from my friends and got lost trying to find the vehicle, so I ended up getting back to Vegas on the Greyhound Bus early the next morning on the 25th of July. The concert was originally scheduled for Saturday July 23rd, but was rescheduled for the next day, Sunday. I was only 17 and freaked out at being left behind near downtown L.A. in a shady area. The cops wouldn't even help me because they were after a suspect near USC, so these local Mexican guys ended up taking me to the Greyhound station.

[@danjoycecook4997]

That's insane. I went to the show in Detroit at the silverdome.

[@TJ-rp6wu]

Crazy!!

[@gamergramps970]

OMG! I was in that crowd front "Row"! I was just telling this story in a bar and thought on a whim maybe there's a vid of it. What happen was early in the show as Metallica started there was a massive choke point at all the gates to the floor. They had a standing chain link fence thing separating the floor from the stadium seats. When Metallica started and even the people like me who paid 60 bucks for 16th row couldn't get to their seats the entire crowd, we're talking 50,000 people at least (as the Coliseum seats 110,000), rushed the floor laying down the fences. The floor (or field) seating was folding chairs zipped tied together. Needless to say they didn't last. At some point the crowd got pissed. All I remember was sweat, stink and a loaf of bread flying over head into the floor. Next thing you see is chairs being handed over heads until a pile ended up on stage. All in all an epic show Metallica ruled it but every band rocked the whole crowd. A lot of the anger was 100 degree temps and what ended up as general seating. Anyone else there as happy as I was for the guard with the huge bottle of water spraying on us up front?

[@beachgirl4583]

Random men were spraying us w/ water, and yes, we were happy, because it was so effing hot. The guy I was dating- after the show, in the 3 hour wait to get out of the parking garage, his car overheated. He went to check the radiator, and got a burn on his face (almost in his eye), so we had to find a doctor. You saw a loaf of bread? We saw a baked chicken come apart in mid-air. I'm pretty sure the anger you felt was a result of a water issue. I don't remember if it was the water fountains not working, or the venue not having enough bottled water and beverages, but I do remember soaking my shirt in a sink in the ladies' room. I bought floor seats up close, too, but bailed for the risers. Those Metallica fans were scary. We needed leafy green help to recover from that stress. Luckily, the kind people in the risers had some, and shared.

[@angelvox1603]

I was there. On the coliseum floor, 50 yards from the stage. Metallica started playing and the white chairs started flying. It got scary. Those were the best days. That was Metallica's coming out party.

[@patkowalczyk1]

was at the foxboro show and was awesome. scorpions, Metallica, van halen , etc

[@hallnoats4ever942]

Pat Kowalczyk it wasn't a riot the concert promoter said "ok guys if we all work together we can get these chairs put away"

[@robichaux73]

I was at the Foxboro show as well! Epic!

[@vernal6944]

This was Metallica at there peak basically I think. I saw them three days later in the Kingdome when I was 19. Unbelievable power in the performance, just like at this show. And they sounded AMAZING, even in the Kingdome. I was near the front and it sounded like a force rather then sound really. I remember feeling the music more then hearing it....Tube swag, power drums, and James enraged. It was epic. I've been to a lot of shows, but Metallica in 88' was probably the best metal show I've seen.

[@crashburn3292]

Kingdome Come was horrid. Dokken was not very good. Metallica EXPLODED. I've never seen anything like it and I've been a MANY concerts in my 51 years.

[@jamesbarnett2483]

I saw them July 9 1988 in Memphis on this tour. They were pure.

[@jay_762]

why put chair in a metallica concert ?? its a bad idea !

[@jenniferw8963]

When Kingdom Come was playing people were sitting in the chairs heh. Then when Metallica started playing, down went the chain link fences. I saw people swinging chairs at other people by the way.. like security guards.

[@erickrehemker2234]

I have seen Metallica five times, only once were there no chairs.

[@feargasmo6830]

The floor was not set up to be a standing area. The people that put on the concert, didn't plan on there being any floor, it was 100% seating. I am assuming that this was because Van Halen was headlining. There were chain link fences around the entire floor, to keep people without floor tickets from going onto the floor. As soon as Metallica hit the stage, the fences fell and fans rushed the stage. That is why there were chairs on the floor. They expected for people to remain seated. I think they learned their lesson for many concerts to come.

[@beachgirl4583]

Yes, Feargasm O, we paid a lot for those floor seats, and gave them up when we heard the thundering feet behind us. We thought it was just the fans in the bleachers stomping their feet, but they came down in a huge wave, trampling the fences. The cops *bailed* (a first, in that part of LA!). We gave up our floor seats, and retreated to the bleachers, and some nice people helped us mellow out. Later, there was a food fight, and we saw people launching all kinds of food (including a roasted chicken!). Don Dokken had had a meltdown during their part of the show, when his audio wasn't up to his standards (lol, you couldn't hear him). It was an epic concert. Sammy nailed all the VH songs, despite being sick. The Scorps were great. But, Metallica stole the show. (We missed KC, due to 100k people trying to park.)

[@feargasmo6830]

During that food fight, I can remember seeing a quarter bag of ice that someone launched from the bleachers. I knew it was going to be bad. I watched it hit a girl who was on her bf's shoulders. It knocked her right off, he had no idea what happened. Lots of ambulances needed that day.

[@davefoster6877]

I was there!!! That's awesome this video exists. I was 19 and watched the mayhem from the stands. This is the moment when I realized how big Metallica were. 48 now and still a fan!

[@JohnSmith-wr1jh]

Same here now 47 lived in fla at time

[@JerryAsbury1985]

Yeah & this was before the black album, I can't come to figure out how they're fucking geniuses.

[@calebbartlett367]

You know you're a pretty badass band when you literally have to stop playing because the crowd is going apeshit for the band too much \m/

[@efogg3]

4

[@ivaniniguez2553]

Kyle Mc 2 albums you must be a Justin bieber fan it was 5 albums in which all songs are fucking badass. Which band offer that? And I bet the crowd dint even reacted like that to the other bands, this was Metallica at it's finest lovem or hate them it's the best of the big 4 I mean for no reason the other 3 open for them lmao

[@jonlund5545]

Kyle Mc fuck off gaykile

[@jonlund5545]

Kyle Mc but people weren't going fucking out of their minds for any of the other bands that were there

[@jonlund5545]

Kyle Mc really so they were throwing chairs and going apeshit for dokken or even vh for that matter! And as far as my being in my daddy's nutsack! You gayfuck I'm 56 which makes that impossible you stupid fuck

[@Nexusofgeek]

18, last year of HS. Still the best concert I have ever seen and I saw a lot of them

[@christinelefler-awad2886]

Same here! I tell the story about it whenever I get a chance

[@ozzyhead73]

i saw this tour in JUNE of 1988 at FOXBORO STADIUM in FOXBORO MASS!!! 1 of the best shows ive ever seen!!! metallica was the opening act!!!!

[@standown4379]

L.A Coliseum. I was there. Metallica stopped playing because people in front of the stage were getting squashed by the crowd.

[@troygerrets5882]

I was there too US Air Force at the time it's LA Coliseum

[@slowcarznfreedomliberty7231]

I was there getting smashed... literally... your absolutely right! Right up front center stage. I was leaning about 35 degrees laying on top of the person in front of me. I got out for awhile and went to the back of the Coliseum until things calmed down. It was insane!

[@Eric-xt8nd]

They stopped the show because everyone including me came out of the stands and rushed the field. The fences were smashed and all hell broke loose. The vender stands were mowed down and then the people in front were smashed. I'll never forget that show. 😁

[@tarkitarker0815]

@@Eric-xt8nd yeah so funny, the only thing you show is that the likes of you have no common sense.

[@Eric-xt8nd]

@@tarkitarker0815 yeah well I was young then. What 20 year old at the Monsters of Rock concert frying on acid and having a great time uses common sense. I didn't start the melee, I was caught in the mosh. It's people like you who have no decency has to keep their f****** mouth shut when they don't know the situation.

[@ppveloff1968]

My buddy Joe and I had nose bleed seats. When Metallica started we rushed the stage, got clubbed by security, got stoned off our asses and drunk as could be, got bitchin pictures from a camera I snuck in and by the time Van Halen came on we were Front and just to the left..... Best concert I have ever been to... BRING BACK METAL

[@heshengirl88]

I would love to see those pictures! I was there, too! one of the best memories of my life!!

[@christinelefler-awad2886]

Hell yeah! Best concert of my life!

[@facedo21]

I was watching from the top about half way back. Everyone just started moving toward the stage. If I remember right I think at one point people were throwing food and drink all at once. It was crazy. When Metallica started playing again it was intense. I like Dokken, Scorps, and VH but fuck that day was all Metallica. Glad I saw that.

[@karlheinzfranzenkopf]

I started that food fight!!!! I'm soooo proud to this day!!!! wooooohoooo It was my army of paper airplanes that set it off!!! yee-haw!!!

[@yourmomsdaddy9130]

I caught the tour in Indianapolis, first time seeing Metallica and they were my favorite band back then. All the bands were great but none could hang with the energy Metallica had. A few years later they released the black album and I wanted to throw up. Thank God for Slayer!!!

[@JerryAsbury1985]

@@yourmomsdaddy9130 I know everyone has a right to their opinion, but people need to stop bashing the black album, so what it was more main stream. When it was released, it was bigger then probably Elvis. James has some songs on that album, that are very close to him. Metallica is the shit no matter how anyone feels about any of their albums.

[@chuckbankston4528]

Frank Acedo I just commented. We were in the stands. Let me back up. Saturday 7/23/88 my buddy and I in LA from Atlanta (country ass Hicks) were at Universal Studios getting in a ride. Someone told us Monsters of Rock was cancelled that day because Sammy Hagar hAd laryngitis. We went 7/24/88 and bought our ticket $24 for the show. The riot broke out during Metallica. People beating up cops. I’d never seen anything like it. They tore down the fences and we ran for the floor and up front. They were throwing chairs at Metallica. They quit playing and walked off stage. Later came back and finished the set.

[@facedo21]

Chuck Bankston That’s right! I completely forgot about the cancellation. Cool story man. It was crazy. I sure do miss those times.

[@kdm71291]

I remember this! When Metallica came on, about 10,000 more fans stormed the field from the bleacher seats. The music-stopping mayhem began when that chair was thrown on stage. You can't make out what he is saying, but I think it was James Hetfield basically saying that if the crowd stopped doing that shit, they would start playing again. It was insanity on the field level! My girlfriend and I were up in the bleacher seats and were grateful to be there, haha! Later she had to go to first aid for an asthma treatment and she said there was a girl in there who had a severely lacerated foot because another girl had stepped on her foot with stiletto heels! All-in-all...a long, hot, epic, rockin' day! I'm glad I can say I was there!

[@wladosu]

and lived to tell :)

[@zombiemartin1]

Wow that is so cool. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and see old Metallica.

[@ronaldosanchez3207]

I was there too up in the bleachers, too far away from the stage to really see anything, but when Metallica came out, the first thing that went were the steel barricades around the Coliseum. When my buddies and I saw that we said fuck it, let's get on the field and closer to the stage. But the closer I got to the stage during the mayhem that you see in this video, the more I became afraid for my life seriously. I waited until the crowd stopped throwing the chairs and the barricades to continue getting closer, but the closer I got the less I saw. When VH came out later I was right up front. Later that night in the confusion, my buddies left without me back to Las Vegas, and I had to return in a Greyhound Bus. A Latino family near USC took me in for the night because I was lost looking for the parking lot where we had parked and I did not have enough for the Greyhound, but they spotted me the rest. I wish I could find them to thank them a million for saving my ass that night. When I found the parking lot an hour later it was past midnight and it was empty! I was very blessed being that that area was and it's still not the best area of L.A., and I swear to god that's what occurred. I will never forget that day. It was both scary as shit and exciting all in one. LAPD would not help me because they were busy looking for a robber.

[@zombiemartin1]

Ronaldo Sanchez Wow awesome story dude! Good that you made it. :D

[@coldvoid]

No. Chairs were flying long before the power supply died during Whiplash, and then all hell broke loose. You can check it out here: watch?v=AJRAV48RuKc They brought back power after some 10 minutes, and then Metallica could finish their show.

[@ThompterSHunson]

back when concerts could literally kill you! Glory days...

[@MKrip808]

animaonathens at the Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City concert I went to, I was sure multiple people had to have been killed during it. I saw so many messed up people from the heat, from alcohol/drugs and from injuries. I almost got suffocated that day as well. It was an insane day, all day long, and all the tickets were general admission and I believe I paid 25 bucks for my ticket.

[@alexmajano5081]

Haha yes. I took my daughter to a small show and had to explain to her that general admission was too dangerous for an 8 year old that's why we had to buy seat tickets. When we get to the show I looked like a liar, people just stand there now. So sad.

[@andrewraden1590]

you should've seen Iggy back In the day, that was intense.

[@chrisdelgado3530]

Thompter S. Hunson RIP real metalheads

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

Tell that to the people who died at a WHO concert...thanks for proving that (SADLY_ most metal heads are stupid motherfuckers. AS a life long metal head I will be the first to admit. most metal fans...well...they are ignorant assholes

[@blndrckr]

i was there about 60-80 yards away from stage on the turf... it was actually kinda fkn scary. I remember folding chairs ( not to mention shoes, bottles, purses) literally flying overhead in ALL directions and just thinking WTF !!!!!

[@mtgarrett]

Kevin I was there too and really thought I was going to die or at least get really F'd up. When people started bailing over the railings and onto the floor I just ran with the flock and hoped for the best...then when it was all clear I headed for higher ground haha. Good memories!

[@edcrouse8294]

Kevin Raabe so where was this filmed at then?

[@edcrouse8294]

Matt Garrett so where was this filmed at then? I'm trying to find footage from Tampa Stadium because I was there

[@mtgarrett]

Ed, it was the Los Angeles Coliseum.

[@MetaITurtle]

I was just a sperm in my dads balls

[@cynthiastinson7059]

I was there, but stayed in my seat in the stands. I still remember the metal chairs flying around the mosh pit. Unreal.

[@sharisisco]

I was there. I was 22 backstage, lost our 4th row seats when they pulled them out! A dark cloud came out of the heat and then they KILLED IT!

[@RoamAboutOutdoors]

I was there also. Kingdom Come opened up, all was good. Then Metallica came on and all hell broke loose. There was a fence around the floor area. People tore down the fences. From that moment on, you could sit whereever you wanted. I had nosebleed seats, but by the time VH came on, I was up against the stage, which wasn't all good, cause you can die in that enviroment. Never forget it. Next day on the front page of the LA Times.

[@ocervantes3434]

I remember that! A friend and I made our way down from the nose bleeds and my friend almost died! He got trampled on! But you're right, we saw VH up close and personal after that! Best concert I've ever been to!

[@RoamAboutOutdoors]

Oscar Cervantes haha yes I fell once while the concert was in progress. I've never stood up so fast. I wish there was some better video of this concert. I would love to see it in hd.

[@socaldave4227]

+Russell Pearson I was there we did the same thing . Epic show.

[@beachgirl4583]

LOL, we did the opposite- escaped to the bleachers. You guys owe me for my floor seats.

[@nelsonaldana5304]

I was there front row! with my brother....best concert ever among almost a hundred I have gone to.

[@aleksandert9159]

I was there! Incredible 33 years ago. Time flies.

[@doobersmiller2226]

I was stage right at the first set of stairs going to the floor at the stage. I was getting my red wrist band to indicate I was floor and all hell broke loose. Chain link came down everywhere ..thousands rushed the floor ...was total chaos ....such an amazing memory... I know myself and about 50 of my friends are in these shots for sure...could never tell who we are ..but I know we were there!

[@kimikom4823]

I was 14 when i went to this with my dad. I can still remember the crush of the crowd its was scary my dada grab me by my belt and bragged me back out safety

[@gtludwig41]

I was there at that show Kingdom Come was horrible Dokken was okay but when Metallica hit the stage it was no longer assign seats... Lars came out sat on the steps and ask the people to be concert cool and they would continue everything was cool after that what a great memory that was Metallica was awesome they kicked serious ass

[@blssdmf70]

You cant keep Metallica fans behind fences!! All of us in the crappy loge seats that surround the field broke down the fences, ran down to the field and rushed the stage! It was crazy! Good times!! Classic!!!

[@slowcarznfreedomliberty7231]

So your one of the people who stole my floor seats!! Haha nice! Thanks!

[@beachgirl4583]

Slowcarznfreedom Liberty, They’re proud of it, yet we could have been seriously injured. We paid a lot for those seats.

[@swirvinbirds1971]

You can now... A lot of us are too old for that shit now. 😂

[@alexmogo7034]

Yes, I was there too! Drove up from San Diego Ended up on the floor, lost my shoes in the swirl of pit. The biggest food FIGHT before Van Halen started. Shit flying everywhere. My friend and I ended up getting stranded at the show we could not find our ride parked at USC. We were only 17. Metallica did come back and finish somehow. Epic , KNAC was KING!

[@MrReplica77]

And to imagine Dokken had to go on after this????

[@beachgirl4583]

Yes, and Don's sound was off, so he was not happy. They fixed it pretty quickly, though. I'd bought the floor seats so I could see George up close.

[@richardkey4289]

MrReplica77 yeah no shit; tough enough to follow metallica, but after this....yikes. Not a pleasant idea

[@slowcarznfreedomliberty7231]

I have lots of pics of them from this show..

[@iwanttoholdyourbigkn]

I was at this show!!! I was on the floor at about the 40th row of chairs from the stage. When the rioting was over, I was the first row of chairs left standing!!!

[@henryrojas2000]

I was there.....was Amazing to say the least

[@bigfoot-5150]

I was there on the floor, first row second section. When Metallica came out a wave of people rushed the stage. Chairs were flying everywhere. It was crazy! Great times!

[@michaelcastillo8283]

yes i was there fourth row center somewhere. I remember like if was yesterday

[@dweezler]

LA always has the best Riots

[@cindysidoti9182]

Wow! This brings tears to my eyes. it’s awesome that you had this on video bring such great memories back, then being so young I wasn’t able to capture these moments and being older now it’s hard to remember, but this is fabulous. Thank you. Crazy thing is, I didn’t realise how iconic or historic it is until watching this video Thank you for sharing. I remember looking back into the stands and it was almost empty as everybody was on the floor.

[@jimcook8852]

I was there on the field too. The mobile hot dog stands were scrapped in minutes. Classic stuff.

[@jimmyg1095]

i miss these days lol

[@dcarr70]

I was there and it was AWESOME!!!!!

[@monkeytantrum]

Yeah, I was there also. The explanations so far aren't very good. The main problem was there were only like 100 people in the floor seats, and 100,000 up above in the stands. They had this temporary chain link fencing keeping the crowd off the floor. When Metallica started playing, the crowd went nuts, and pushed the fencing over. The cops and security guards tried to keep it under control, but once the fencing was down, more and more people kept flowing onto the field.

[@raelynncloud7212]

I WAS THERE. LEGENDARY. Video just gives you a snapshot. Of the pre-riot. Gotta understand, no cell phones in 88, no video cameras, nothing. No way to record the insanity except thru eyewitness testimony. Concerts can be stopped. They stopped this one several times. Very scary. But hey, it was METALLICA 🤘. Astroworld is fckn ridiculous. I can't believe they didn't Stop the show. I've been to a dozen concerts at least that have been stopped.

[@getoutside365]

My ticket stub says ROW: 6, SEAT 9. Kingdom Come played first. When Metallica started playing, fans began climbing over the chain link fence separating the stadium seating from the field. The fencing soon folded over and thousands of fans rushed the stage where we were seated. We stood on our folding chairs in an attempt to hold our ground. That did not last long though, as the first folding chairs to hit the stage were literally flying over our heads.

[@freddiehall4149]

it was sawhorses no fence

[@beachgirl4583]

No, there were fences. We stood on our chairs, too, until it got too scary. Then, we went up to the loge where our friends were.

[@bubhub64]

I remember this day! This was at the Los Angeles Coliseum! It was a hot summer day! Fans got wild! Dumb idea from the organizers to put padded metal chairs on the ground floor of the stadium! During the middle of Metallica's set, the chairs started to fly. Metallica had to stop playing for a while, and I remember Hetfield imploring the crowd to calm down, or Metallica would not continue with their set. When Van Halen played later in the evening, a huge stadium wide food fight broke out! I was sitting loge on the side of the stadium, and debris (sodas, food, whatever) was raining down from higher up from the stadium, from the whole stadium, and people on the ground were throwing food back up to the people in the seats! It was a wild day!! Good times!!

[@MegaBoog1]

+bubhub64 I forgot about the food fight, that was awesome. Good times. Didn't KNAC put on this show?

[@metalgod6998]

+MegaBoog1 Yes, it was sponsored by KNAC.

[@drakejdf]

i had a shitload of KNAC bumper stickers.funny thing about the event as i remember there was no alchol served.

[@beachgirl4583]

No alcohol, but there were plenty of herbs, and a small snowstorm. I still have a bag of KNAC bumper stickers!

[@brendankennedy7143]

I was there too !!! I couldn't believe my eyes. Metallica started with Whiplash and they pulled the plug right in the middle of the song ... unbelievable. The fence protecting the floor seats from the stadium seats got pushed over. White chairs were surfing the crowd everywhere. Totally crazy !!!!! BTW, Dokken followed Metallica and quit their set early since they were boo'd off the stage. The tempo of their songs were too slow to follow Metallica. I felt bad for them.

[@beachgirl4583]

I don't remember Dokken being booed off stage. I remember Don having a tantrum because his vocals weren't loud enough. The only booing I remember at any concert, ever, was also at the Coliseum, but in '81, iirc. We (yes, I admit participation) booed Prince off the stage when he opened for the Stones. Did you see the food fight later? I think it was in between the Scorps and VH.

[@beachgirl4583]

Why do they schedule concerts like this in the summer? No one acts their best while sweating profusely. That was a very hot day. 100k people and our vehicles didn't help.

[@derrecksimmons1755]

This is because this was kick ass Metallica back then! L.A. couldn't handle the tightness, the speed,...started swinging and throwing chairs 😂🤘

[@johnbmx4christ]

I was there. I tell everyone about this. will never forget it. So many stories to tell from that entire day starting from the parking lot opening till we left. So many things happened.

[@bellabonnie3141]

I was there. Me and a buddy drove up from san diego. In the navy, stationed on board uss constellation cv-64. It was a party.

[@brandeeleet554]

Was there and was so pumped! I was with a bunch of guys when the barriers broke and they had to hold me back! It didn't take me long before I talked them into getting down there. So glad this is posted because describing this to people is nearly impossible. They don't show half the chairs in bonfires with people slamming around them. Had to be there!!!!

[@azff]

I was there. I was 17 yrs old.

[@chicagobeast10]

azff sure

[@walterhwhite109]

Was this Houston tx?

[@beachgirl4583]

Walter H White, Los Angeles, California.

[@Letm3bleed]

Amazing quality

[@sarah87472]

I seen this concert but it was at Rice stadium in Houston. I was 19 then. F****** awesome concert

[@knightowl809]

saw em in dallas that summer, "monsters of rock", still best show i ever went to.

[@elijah27b]

I heard James Hetfield saying that it was at this moment at this show that he knew Metallica was getting big. \m/

[@mikemiller551]

We need this kind of energy now!!!

[@tylerstover8123]

Will never happen again. People can’t get away with this kind of behavior in the post 9/11 world. Plus the audience is a lot older now

[@goldenwolf8081]

⁠@@tylerstover8123exactly and if it did happen today concert immediately canceled people thrown in jail whole thing is filmed and on the news causing a ton of internet drama back then tho it was way different

[@thesummerof1968]

I was there!!! I remember it being so hot on that day. I can't believe the years go by soooo fast! Metallica played last night at Sofi Stadium with Pantera as opener, i didn't go. I work at the hospital a few blocks away and was X-raying a lot of broken bones due to last nights concert...it brought back my memories of this day, at the Olympic stadium!

[@kenamaro3942]

I love it when theirs a bit of crowd participation....

[@geoffwe]

I heard enter sandman today on the radio. They were playing it on this tour before that album was out. Brought back memories of this show so I had to look for videos. There was no such thing as youtube and really even internet back then. Craziest thing I have ever experienced.

[@ricardogarza631]

i was there i can still remember the stadium trembling!!!!!!

[@raelynncloud7212]

I remember the trembling...

[@Desertskyobservatoy1925]

I was there and that concert kicked ass!!!

[@chuckbankston4528]

I am getting chills. I was at this concert!!! It was the most insane thing ever. Kids beating up cops with the cops sticks. People throwing chairs on stage. They just walked off stage. About 30 minutes later they cane back on stage and said you have to quit throwing chairs at us and continued the set. Freaking never thought I’d see a video if this

[@BorisRDeyanov]

Holy shit that's alot of people

[@joshxmuhozi]

Boris Deyanov and that’s why I don’t fuckin go to concerts

[@UnovisVids]

Today is the 25th anniversary of this show. I had front row center seats ($200 bucks a pop!) but of course lost the seats due to the riot. But I didn't care, I saw Metallica when they were good and ended up leaving after Metallica and driving back to San Diego to see DRI and Kreator instead....awesome day that's for sure.

[@creativestrategyintersecti6268]

I was there. Can’t believe this video exists.

[@wcwreymysteriojr]

how the fuck do you find stuff that was filmed by Kirks brother in law!? thank you for upping all these vids

[@M75947]

Holy crap I was there!!! Nice memories!!!

[@melissawoods6783]

I was there! Absolutely insane. I didn't go down when the barricade went down but I did get so sunburned I couldn't wear shoes for days!

[@scottallan2316]

Scott Allan Says: October 16, 2010 at 10:32 am It was a scorcher that day,about 90 something degrees out .I hitchhiked from Escondido with a pack of smokes five bucks and a spray bottle filled with water.Kirk Hammet came out with the band struck is guitar and the place went nut’s.My friends and I ran from the second walkway up from ground level from the back of the Coliseum.By the time we ran down the stairs the fence was down,when I went over the fence there was a cop under it.My friends and I made it two third’s of the way across the field,thats when James came out and said if everyone did not take three steps back and calm down the concert was over!There were couples holding each other and crying that had paid for floor seats.There were dudes attacking girls and ripping there shirts of,but me and allot of other people helped the chicks out and stopped the jacklegs from doing to much damage.Things did settle down,and Metallica did come back on stage to play.It was a killer concert.I would love to see video of the riot,and the concert that day.One truly bogus thing was they took are tickets but would not give us are stubs.I want my stub back!!!

[@heliflyr67]

That was a great concert. The riot that started with Metalica and then the food fight that started while waiting for Van Halen was awesome. I too am pissed that I didn't get the ticket stub back cuz I was keeping them from all the shows that I went too.

[@drakejdf]

man do i remember the food fight.lights went out lighters came on and food/trash started raining down.it was all a great time i was about 20 years old or so and my favorite band was the scorpions and i wasnt dissapointed that night.Ahhhh the 80's.good call on that.

[@dmcpoyle4699]

heliflyr67 THE FOOD FIGHT WAS FUCKIN EPIC!

[@beachgirl4583]

It was not October 2010. It was July 1988. Also, I still have my stub, and wristband. I wouldn't call it a riot, because the cops didn't do much (from our POV, about row 15, center floor). Fences were trampled, someone got hurt, and the food fight was epic (did you see the baked chicken? That's going to stay with me forever- who'd bring a baked chicken to a concert in the summer anyway?). No one was crying (that was sweat), but we did ask some nice people in the risers if they would share their herbs. They did.

[@zenrakku1809]

i was there i saw alot happening 1,when creeping death hit, and then fans rushed and started tearing down the fences.2. a fan pushed a security guard who clocked him silly and then some fans rushed the securty guard and tried to get him but other security and some cops rushed to get him out,dokken did not pay dearly they opened with kiss of death i think,and they were good rest of show,but alot of fans got to see the rest of the bands close up except when van halen came on they started checking tickets and wristbands,i got to see the scorpions up close but went back to where i was before,my friend gave me a ride up there and i met up with her and her family.

[@worldvision7924]

Concert was supposed to be Saturday 23rd, but they moved to Sunday. Sam Hagar said it was because he and Eddie were surfing Saturday. Metallica was 2nd up after Kingdom Come. Metallica still more underground in those days. Dokken(drummer tripped on steps), Scorpions, and Van Halen closing it out. Brings back memories!

[@unusablemuzic]

I was there! Mike Nealon and myself were about 25 rows back cente after they cut power during Creeping Death all the gates came down everyon rushed the stage and they had folding seats. They started handing all the seats up to staff in front then continued show.. Times of my life!!!

[@TheRealEstateNate]

I was at the on in Wisconsin, I was about 10 and I remember one of the acts being late. Everyone was throwing sod, it was a see of sod! Anyone remember ?

[@UnovisVids]

As to why they rioted a lot of bad responses below. There wasn't 100 people in the front. It held at least 1000 if not 2 or 3,000 in the immediate 50 feet from the stage. The riot was mostly due to just plain excitement. Ride the Lightning tour in 1985 was at the tiny Palladium and then they came through opening for OZZY in June 1986. After that Cliff died and while they toured the East coast they did not tour the West for Master of Puppets. So there was a huge built up excitement for this show.

[@llaneromemos]

History!

[@davidgreene8389]

I was there... On the field towards the rear . I remember when the people started storming the stage and one security guard who tried to stop the people all by himself as 10.000 fans rush down the center aisle.... WOW... What a day that was !

[@uhmike6098]

I was there. Kingdom Come sucks balls. Anyway, everything was cool, there was a decent amount of people on the floor, most people were on the sides of the arena. Metallica comes on, I don't recall what they opened with Creeping Death or Battery, the place went fucking crazy. A lot of the people on the sides broke through the fences to get to the floor. The floor got so crowded so fast, the fans were throwing and passing the chairs to the yellow shirt dudes, as well as throwing shit on stage. One of the best concerts ever and Kingdom Come still fucking sucks.

[@matttesterman1655]

who else played I was front row

[@socaldave4227]

+I Suck At Stuff I was there too man. Missed Kingdom Come but I'll never forget when Metallica hit the stage and people just went crazy. Rushing the floor from the bowl You're right they were knocking over fences just cray shit. Security had no chance. was great for us our seats where up in the bowl and after Metallica security gave up and you just go down on the floor and me and my buddy did and muscled our way real close. I remember it being the stupidest idea to have chairs on the floor.

[@metallord7660]

I was there, the good old days.🤘🤘

[@rapiddeath2228]

I was there too in 1988 I was 20 years old. I bought $10 nosebleed seats and when Metallica came on I got into the middle of the crowd which was storming the gates and they knocked the fence is down and we all ran towards the main stage. I was there one Metallica was playing and yes it was a real real Ruckus. after Metallica played Dokken hit the stage and opened up with tooth & Nail and I was 35 feet away from Don Dokken. next was the Scorpions who opened up with blackout and had a magnificent show. after the Scorpions played it was about an hour between bands until finally seat cushions were flying all over the place paper plates and chairs and then the lights came out and Sammy, Eddie, Alex and Michael Anthony came on stage and opened up with Summer Nights. that was the most impressive Rock show that I have ever seen and I don't think I ever will see anything better. but I sure miss them days back for music was something and not the crap that's playing today.

[@beachgirl4583]

Did you miss the food fight b4 VH came on? More than paper plates and seat cushions were flying (I didn't see seat cushions flying- how could they, on cement risers, unless they were the hapless floor seats we stood on until the rush of subhumans made us fear for our safety).

[@straydogg2010]

I was there! 15th row dead center…in the thick of it! My buddies and I tripped out when this was available on KZbin! Metallica blew everyone away IMO. I remember a huge food/trash fight while waiting on Van Hagar… Good times with some 80k metal heads!

[@dgodrummer8110]

my friend and I were about 50 yard line stage left, nose bleed. it was good place to safely watch the day unfold. super hot california day. we drove up from san diego. The scene outside the coliseum was classic. Inside, seemed a lot of people had spray bottles, so a constant mist enveloped us. it was great. we watched fights from afar, massive hoses spraying down this near the stage (damn, who'd wanna be in there?), general pandemonium between acts. what a day for bikini tops and going shirtless. joints passion' round. So grateful to have lived in the '80's rock era, all the while still digging' '70's rock, but the when hard rock 'n metal cam on... oh man it was... well, you had to live thru it.

[@sarthak2882]

I was there. It was greatest concert i experienced

[@gostros407]

I was at that one. Somewhere on the floor there of the coliseum.

[@a.joegevara3519]

I was there! Some context; It was a very hot, long day. Metallica had finished their set, but Van Halen was delaying for what seemed like an hour or so, wanting it to be dark for their performance (more on that in a sec) this started as people chanting back and forth from the stands and field "Tastes great - Less filling" then in a wave it turned into a food fight that circled the whole stadium and lasted 30-45 minutes. During Van Halens set some guy opposite the stage was running away from security and climbed to the top of the stadium, which prompted the crowd to yell "JUMP, JUMP, JUMP" which was coincidentally Roth's signature song. Sammy heard the chants and disgusted because he refused to sing it, walked off stage only to return a short time later to sing I can't drive 55. Yeah good times! My wife, that was extremely pregnant, gave birth to my son 6 days later ...

[@bassmasstaa]

HELL YEAH!

[@gabesvidz]

I seen it all Happen from the upper level and was glad I wasn’t in that mess. I’ve been to too many concerts and this is the first one ever to see a band stop in the middle of playing and just sit on the stage and watch the crowd. I will never forget

[@melissawoods6783]

Same here! There was NO WAY I was going down there. A couple of my friends left our little group and went down. We didn't see them again until we were back home a day later! We weren't sure what happened to them!

[@sincitydrummer]

Me and my friend Greg were the first ones who started this. He saw the weak fence and I kicked it in . While running from security who couldn't catch us, we made it to the stage. Behind us , a sea of people came rushing down getting trashed by security is what started the riot. This is one of the best times I ever had at a concert! Can't believe it was over 30 years ago, It seemed like yesterday......

[@karlheinzfranzenkopf]

Nice, and I accidentally started the food fight by tossing a ton of paper air planes with 8 friends. I had found a stack of flyers on my way back from the bathroom and grabbed them all to make planes. people below thought it was the upper balcony and tossed stuff up there. soon came buckets of water in retaliation and then food it the air spread through out the entire Colosseum all the way to the top of the balcony..... I'm so proud.

[@sincitydrummer]

@@karlheinzfranzenkopf that's awesome! Good times weren't they?!

[@karlheinzfranzenkopf]

@@sincitydrummer The best time!!! Wikipedia's has a page "Monsters of rock tour 1988" I laughed my ass off, here the link....ENJOY!!! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters_of_Rock_Tour_1988

[@cynthialeveque6606]

I was there!! It was crazy!!

[@magdump7380]

I was there. Remember watching them sitting on the drum riser drinking and waiting for things to settle down. Kingdom Come Metallica Dokken Scorpions Van Halen Awesome.

[@massiultras68]

Chi non ha vissuto quei tempi non può nemmeno immaginare. Quanto ci siam divertiti. Max '68...METALLICA FOREVER

[@chrishernandez8078]

I was there-on the lawn!! Not in the front, but not way far back! My girlfriend & I were standing on those fold up chairs, until we saw all the crowd rushing towards us from the far back of the stadium, getting closer, & chairs flying up in the air behind us! I grabbed my friend down off her chair!! It was pretty getting pretty scary, 2 guys next to us started punching each other in the face, & our other female friend got her gold chain ripped off her neck! Next time I saw Metallica, at Long Beach Arena, like the following year, the fans in up in the higher up seating were ripping the cushions off their seats & flailing them down on us on the Floor, & on to the Stage! Once James got hit w one, the show was stopped! My friend & I had to get down from our seats & watch out for the cushions flying! Metallica had another show there the next night also! No Alcohol sold at Metallica shows after that first night! Not sure if that ever changed, as I moved from CA in 1995. Just crazy times!

[@GregoryCross-zx9jg]

I too was there. Saw people going over/through fence. Immediately left my friends. Found them on floor during scorps. All I remember is a 15 joint day

[@davidrenshaw4714]

I was parking the car when the DJs on the radio were saying this was happening. We watched the rest of the set from the side until everyone cleared out. Then we took our seats (or where they were supposed to be) in the 12th row for Dokken.

[@metalifan72]

Sooooo Pissed, i was 15, stayed in line all night to get tix to this show at the Pontiac Silverdome, Was gonna be my 1st Metallica show, got in trouble at school and came home and tix were gone, stepdad took em, never got em back,

[@leonsaucedo9586]

I was there !!!!!

[@metallicatlaura5408]

I was at the Alpine Valley show in East Troy,Wi..nothing much happened there,other than pieces/chunks of grass with roots/dirt connected to it flying overhead..I MISSED ALL THE ACTION..W IN THE SERIOUS FUCK?!!?!

[@BIGINSF]

This concert and Queen 1986 in Ireland were the biggest I have attended with approx 80,000 at each.

[@Mappy-xn1om]

I was there !! they were passing the folding chairs over their heads to the front crowd barrier and the crew couldnt take them out fast enough !! Some people that passed out went the same way as the chairs !! it was crazy shit !!

[@jennyanimal9046]

I was there ..jumped up on stage!!

[@carlwood8836]

I worked at the Coliseum when this happened . it was crazy .we thought it was safer to strap seats together but i guess we were wrong.

[@TheRealEricMitchell]

My right ear enjoyed the video!!!