This was a free concert, part of the Monsters of Rock tour in 1991 (AC/DC, Metallica, Pantera, Queensryche, and the Black Crowes). 500,000 free tickets were passed out but people just kept coming and officials stopped counting at 1.6 million, but I've seen estimates of 1.8 to 2.0 million people in attendance. This was at the time of the Soviet Union collapse and just before the Berlin wall was torn down. This was the first time that western culture was allowed into the Soviet Union/Russia, it was history making. The military and helicopters were used for crowd control, but the helicopters also had an unexpected benefit of moving air around for people jammed in like sardines in a can. 53 people died at this concert, but they died free and happy.
@@user-vk9rh9gg9v But this is only the 5 or 6 position of biggest live concerts, the biggest was Rod Stewart who was performing to a 4,6 millions of people and 2,3 & 4 positions Jean Michele Jare live concerts..
This was EPIC history. A veritable sea of people. The Soviet Union had just been dissolved and this was the first open-air concert. The Monsters in Moscow concert also included Pantera,, AC/DC and the Black Crowes.
This was even more intense and more immense than I expected! Literally a sea of people. Helicopters, military escorts and they Metallica met the challenges without being intimidated. This is musical history for everyone to see over and over again. Wow! Thank you John!
Да... Это очень необычно для моей страны. Количество народа, его качество. Сам Джеймс когда-то позже, в интервью, скажет, что это было самое необъятное выступление в Их карьере🎉😂😂😂❤ Привет Тебе из Сибири(г.Томск) translate from Russia:)
Don't forget that this was in 1991 and Enter Sandman was a newish song (July1991 , it was released on my birthday :) ) when they played it here. Legends describe them perfectly
Can you imagine the adrenaline... helicopters to "keep the calm" and an American metal band playing in Moscow. It was such a symbol of hope. I remember at the time being young enough to want to be there... looking at it now all I can think is how far apart the washrooms must be and how ineffective that barely a row of soldiers would be if the crowd rushed the stage. Image a concert where most people can't even see the stage... and they don't care. Epic.
Every time I see the comments section of that video the amount of people increases. In fact, the real amount of people were about 1.3 million for not only one day and not only for a Metallica show. Indeed, ACDC were the headliners. You can see the structure of the stage and is the same stage ACDC used in the Donnington show the same tour. In that show, maybe 350.000 to 500.000 people, and that's nuts too.
No it was confirmed 1.6 million that day and that’s the number they stopped counting at. This Russian airstrip is significantly larger than anything at donnington
from what I heard in interviews they had just added this show and didnt know how big cos it was a festivalish. and they just were on tour so I'm guessing sense memory was a huge factor. just let the creative side flow and enjoy at the same time. And when the band is riding on each other they keep their own time and it works out everytime with Metallica!!
Also I saw the Master of Puppets tour opening for Ozzy and also went to the US Festival in 83 with 350,000 fans. I thought that was unreal until this footage, dang! Check out footage from the US Festival if you can. Can Halen, Judas Priest, Ozzy, Triumph, Quite Riot and others!
Thanks for the upload John -This was actually after the iron curtain fell and they were free to Rock out and this was The Monsters of Rock concert Matalica was just one of many Bands performing Pentera -Black Crows ACDC and others all perfomed that week 1.6 m unbelievable and awesome 😮
Been to a few Metallica shows back in the late 80s, early 90s and holy cow, they were bad ass. The energy is intense. One of my all time favorite bands to date.
This was the first metal music concert after Russia changed the laws to allow metal music. Metal used to be illegal. So, the whole country showed up for this concert. It was definitely history in the making.
One of the two best (U2 being the other) that I've seen live. They play the songs perfectly. Amazing that they're still going strong with 🔥 new music to this day.
Thank you for the reaction! I just commented because I love how you use a remix of FF7 world map theme on the background. I don't know how many people notice that. Cheers!
My family left USSR in 89, I was 14 at the time so I missed this show but my first concert in the US was Metallica/Guns tour in 92 at the old meadowlands stadium. I came to the show a huge Guns fan and left a lifelong Metallica fan. Best show I’ve ever seen a band play. I can only imagine what this show must’ve been like.
Thank you for reacting to this!! Definitely recommend checking out Pantera's Domination from the same concert! =D I bet they were placing bets with each other to see which band would go on first. XD
I was lucky enough to work security inside the barricades their M72 tour in Phoenix and to this day they can let it rip 50 years later. I was so fortunate to work the right place at the right time! I still remember being a rocker at heart having my back to the stage and looking up and seeing kirk rip solos as if he never skipped a beat. FYI I was right in front the stairs that Lars came down and got new sticks and took drinks of water and wiped his head which I will never forget. Just came across your video and made me remember that night.
I'm almost 50 years old , and all these bands back then in my youth were awesome. Metallica, Iron Maiden, AC/DC , Nirvana, Rolling Stones, U2 The stadiums were always like this one
John I saw Babymetal in Houston 2 days ago, friggin stoked for you brother! I am a John also, we are kindred spirits. I am also a massive BTS fan and a huge The Rose fan as well.! And I just happen to be 61.
Gonna mark myself here ...lol ....... I remember when that song came out .... I still love it ...... have you ever heard the singer's voice in a slower song ? ..... his voice is gorgeous.... it's even hard to believe it's the same person
I think another thing that makes the video stand out, is the fact it was done outside and they still sounded awesome..... it wasn't done in a studio or an enclosed venue where it would be easier to adjust their sounds easier ...... (my opinion of course) doing that outside shows ALOT of true, raw talent
I love Metallica. I listened to it a lot when I was Young.I hope you React To Blind Channel. Songs Deadzone, Balboa, We are no saints, Bad Idea or Dark side. All are good songs.
Think you should react to more metallica from this concert. Followed metallica since mid 80s here in Ireland, watched this concert 100s of times and always spine tingling for me.
Wow, this is a much better video with much better sound quality than the one I've seen before. The energy! But dude. You HAVE to do Pantera Domination from this same concert. It is the most epic thing ever!!! You just have to. 🙏
I struggle to imagine the size of their PA system. It probably needed its own nuclear power station. 🤘 The crowd is so huge, they were keeping time, but it takes so long for sound to travel to the back, they look wrong. The helicopters were probably dropping food and water because it'd take a day or two to leave. 😀 Best Wishes. ☮
Yeah - that was still the USSR and those choppers were armed with orders to fire on the crowd if they rushed the stage. I've heard they stopped counting at 1.6 million and think it was more like 3 million there. As you can imagine, a lot of people died from the usual reasons (OD, crushed, other medical issues and unable to get out for help). But I love that Metallica was the 1st band to play in the USSR and are like the only band to play in all 7 continents, including Antarctica.
Not the biggest and they were only one of the bands performing Monsters of Rock, 1991-1.6 million There have been countless large-scale rock festivals throughout history, but none bigger than the Soviet Union’s one-off edition of Monsters of Rock. In 1991, the combination of Metallica, AC/DC , The Black Crowes and many more attracted 1.6 million rockers to Moscow. With that many rock fans in one place, we imagine it must have been rather loud. Rod Stewart, 1994-3.5 million Music legend Rod Stewart holds the current world record for the biggest gig of all time - in 1994, he also performed on Copacabana Beach to to a staggering 3.5 million people celebrating New Year’s Eve. Although 99% of the crowd probably couldn’t see a thing, being part of the world’s biggest concert at New Year must have made for a pretty amazing atmosphere and a night the gig-goers will never forget. Jean Michel Jarre, 1997-3.5 million The king of big gigs is undoubtedly Jean Michel Jarre, performing a grand total of four concerts with an audience of over a million people each. Back in 1979 he set the world record for the biggest gig ever - his performance in Paris attracted a million fans. He then went on to break his own record twice. 1.5 million watched him in Houston in 1986, 2.5 million in Paris in 1990, and an astonishing 3.5 million in Moscow in 1997, equalising Rod Stewart’s world record. No concert since has matched up to that scale, but who knows what’s to come in the future?
I don’t really like rock, and I don’t like heavy metal or anything like that, but the weird thing is I like this song and another one from Metallica, I like a couple of nirvana and I love but love “welcome to the jungle” of Guns and roses…. But that’s it! Nothing else ever😂
Nobody knows how many people were there. Some say a half of million, others say 1.6 million. What's cool is it was at the end of an evil empire and they welcomed in Western ideas and music. What a time to be alive. I was like 14. Watch Pantera live in Moscow as well
At this time it was Metallica and guns and roses imho as the 2 biggest bands at this point the black album just came out and use your illusion 1 and 2 came out at that time also you had the grunge bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana basically the hair band glam had met its rest guns and roses started it Metallica wasn’t commercial yet and grunge put the final nail in the coffin
You wouldn't think James Hetfield actual has performance anxiety and gets nervous before going on stage would you? Especially with this crowd of 1.6 million 😅
It's a great performance, and the crowd is monstrous. It's just a shame that Metallica got all the creds for this. People tend to forget that also AC/DC and Panthera, among others, played. th-cam.com/video/UuSHPv3c194/w-d-xo.htmlsi=TaSIyx1vzWj-egA-
No artist / band can touch Metallica….and 42 years in their career they still kill it and sell out any arena /stadium worldwide 🔥🔥🔥🤘🤘🤘
FACTS!!!!
Iron Maiden and AC/DC
saw them live in Hamburg, May 2023, my 8th concert in 41 years (1st was 1983) and they really still get you hard, best live band ever
This was a free concert, part of the Monsters of Rock tour in 1991 (AC/DC, Metallica, Pantera, Queensryche, and the Black Crowes). 500,000 free tickets were passed out but people just kept coming and officials stopped counting at 1.6 million, but I've seen estimates of 1.8 to 2.0 million people in attendance. This was at the time of the Soviet Union collapse and just before the Berlin wall was torn down. This was the first time that western culture was allowed into the Soviet Union/Russia, it was history making. The military and helicopters were used for crowd control, but the helicopters also had an unexpected benefit of moving air around for people jammed in like sardines in a can. 53 people died at this concert, but they died free and happy.
The Berlin wall fell in 1989, I thought 🤔
No! Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions, Cinderella, Skid Row. 😅❤ in Moscow 1989!!!!
@@user-vk9rh9gg9v But this is only the 5 or 6 position of biggest live concerts, the biggest was Rod Stewart who was performing to a 4,6 millions of people and 2,3 & 4 positions Jean Michele Jare live concerts..
The Berlin wall felt 2 years before and many Western bands performed in the Soviet Union in the late 80s.
This was EPIC history. A veritable sea of people. The Soviet Union had just been dissolved and this was the first open-air concert. The Monsters in Moscow concert also included Pantera,, AC/DC and the Black Crowes.
THIS!!! HISTORY!!!!🙌❤️🙏🇺🇸
Every person should see Metalica live at least once in their lifetime!!! They are so good in concert and such freakin' legends!!!
I finally got to see them live a few years back and I love them so so so much!!!❤❤❤
I got to see them at Monsters of Rock with Van Halen, Scorpions, Dokken and Kingdom Come. Hell of a show. That was 1987.
15 and counting for me all been brilliant it's like a religious experience best band to ever walk the earth
Saw them in the 80's awesome concert
1983. ❤️
If Metallica goes Moscow now and this show will be free, there would be 5 million people
This was even more intense and more immense than I expected! Literally a sea of people. Helicopters, military escorts and they Metallica met the challenges without being intimidated. This is musical history for everyone to see over and over again. Wow! Thank you John!
Dude, they were in their 20's! Can you imagine what that must have been like? I was still playing tiny juke joints in my 20's. Damn!
Some say: "The LastPeople are still on the way home!"❤
I love how Jaymz walks out like the the metal God he is and soaks up the visual of 1.6 million!💪🤘
Да... Это очень необычно для моей страны. Количество народа, его качество. Сам Джеймс когда-то позже, в интервью, скажет, что это было самое необъятное выступление в Их карьере🎉😂😂😂❤ Привет Тебе из Сибири(г.Томск) translate from Russia:)
could be my favorite live performance i've ever seen -
My father was there! It was a FREE CONCERT so you just have the answer to the Giant audience.
There is no other band like Metallica.
Creeping death, same concert. Believe me, you are not going to be disappointed.
Don't forget that this was in 1991 and Enter Sandman was a newish song (July1991 , it was released on my birthday :) ) when they played it here. Legends describe them perfectly
Can you imagine the adrenaline... helicopters to "keep the calm" and an American metal band playing in Moscow. It was such a symbol of hope. I remember at the time being young enough to want to be there... looking at it now all I can think is how far apart the washrooms must be and how ineffective that barely a row of soldiers would be if the crowd rushed the stage. Image a concert where most people can't even see the stage... and they don't care. Epic.
That is always my #1 top concern. But once you found the bathroom and used it How sure are you getting back to where you were?
LEGEND HAS IT PEOPLE ARE STILL LEAVING THE CONCERT TO THIS VERY DAY.👍👏
lol
Every time I see the comments section of that video the amount of people increases.
In fact, the real amount of people were about 1.3 million for not only one day and not only for a Metallica show. Indeed, ACDC were the headliners. You can see the structure of the stage and is the same stage ACDC used in the Donnington show the same tour.
In that show, maybe 350.000 to 500.000 people, and that's nuts too.
No it was confirmed 1.6 million that day and that’s the number they stopped counting at. This Russian airstrip is significantly larger than anything at donnington
I remember watching clips from this on MTV at the time and yes i am that old lol
from what I heard in interviews they had just added this show and didnt know how big cos it was a festivalish. and they just were on tour so I'm guessing sense memory was a huge factor. just let the creative side flow and enjoy at the same time. And when the band is riding on each other they keep their own time and it works out everytime with Metallica!!
Also I saw the Master of Puppets tour opening for Ozzy and also went to the US Festival in 83 with 350,000 fans. I thought that was unreal until this footage, dang!
Check out footage from the US Festival if you can.
Can Halen, Judas Priest, Ozzy, Triumph, Quite Riot and others!
Thanks for the upload John -This was actually after the iron curtain fell and they were free to Rock out and this was The Monsters of Rock concert Matalica was just one of many Bands performing Pentera -Black Crows ACDC and others all perfomed that week 1.6 m unbelievable and awesome 😮
You should check out Pantera Domination live in Moscow 1991. they performed at the same concert. Dimebag's solo was awesome
Been to a few Metallica shows back in the late 80s, early 90s and holy cow, they were bad ass. The energy is intense. One of my all time favorite bands to date.
Already have tickets to see them live for 2024😃
This was the first metal music concert after Russia changed the laws to allow metal music. Metal used to be illegal. So, the whole country showed up for this concert. It was definitely history in the making.
I love Metallica man, wish they performed at the Copacabana 4.2 million people concert
I was there in Russia the year after that concert! There were talking about it all over Russia!
This is how you unite people
89 Seattle is the ultimate concert
That is for sure.... I was looking for someone to say this... you are the only one in comments.
One of the two best (U2 being the other) that I've seen live. They play the songs perfectly. Amazing that they're still going strong with 🔥 new music to this day.
Thank you for the reaction! I just commented because I love how you use a remix of FF7 world map theme on the background. I don't know how many people notice that. Cheers!
My family left USSR in 89, I was 14 at the time so I missed this show but my first concert in the US was Metallica/Guns tour in 92 at the old meadowlands stadium. I came to the show a huge Guns fan and left a lifelong Metallica fan. Best show I’ve ever seen a band play. I can only imagine what this show must’ve been like.
Another great performance 🔥🔥🔥
It's a celebration of Freedom!
2 million people loving Metallica.
Thank you for reacting to this!!
Definitely recommend checking out Pantera's Domination from the same concert! =D
I bet they were placing bets with each other to see which band would go on first. XD
I was lucky enough to work security inside the barricades their M72 tour in Phoenix and to this day they can let it rip 50 years later. I was so fortunate to work the right place at the right time! I still remember being a rocker at heart having my back to the stage and looking up and seeing kirk rip solos as if he never skipped a beat. FYI I was right in front the stairs that Lars came down and got new sticks and took drinks of water and wiped his head which I will never forget. Just came across your video and made me remember that night.
The sound of Freedom!
Creeping Death from this same concert, next 🤘
Helicopters were used for the Down draft to help cool the crowd.
I'm almost 50 years old , and all these bands back then in my youth were awesome. Metallica, Iron Maiden, AC/DC , Nirvana, Rolling Stones, U2
The stadiums were always like this one
John I saw Babymetal in Houston 2 days ago, friggin stoked for you brother!
I am a John also, we are kindred spirits. I am also a massive BTS fan and a huge The Rose fan as well.! And I just happen to be 61.
I didn’t see this show, but have heard this song live, twice. They are amazing.
Gonna mark myself here ...lol ....... I remember when that song came out .... I still love it ...... have you ever heard the singer's voice in a slower song ? ..... his voice is gorgeous.... it's even hard to believe it's the same person
I think another thing that makes the video stand out, is the fact it was done outside and they still sounded awesome..... it wasn't done in a studio or an enclosed venue where it would be easier to adjust their sounds easier ...... (my opinion of course) doing that outside shows ALOT of true, raw talent
🔥video Mr. Reaves, great choice for a reaction.
I love Metallica. I listened to it a lot when I was Young.I hope you React To Blind Channel. Songs Deadzone, Balboa, We are no saints, Bad Idea or Dark side. All are good songs.
Think you should react to more metallica from this concert. Followed metallica since mid 80s here in Ireland, watched this concert 100s of times and always spine tingling for me.
I saw this tour when I was 19 and it was great
Wow, this is a much better video with much better sound quality than the one I've seen before. The energy! But dude. You HAVE to do Pantera Domination from this same concert. It is the most epic thing ever!!! You just have to. 🙏
I saw them Live in Portugal in 1993 with Suicidal Tendencies and The Cult
I struggle to imagine the size of their PA system. It probably needed its own nuclear power station. 🤘
The crowd is so huge, they were keeping time, but it takes so long for sound to travel to the back, they look wrong.
The helicopters were probably dropping food and water because it'd take a day or two to leave. 😀
Best Wishes. ☮
And in 1992 same venue Guns N' Roses with Faith no More and Soundgarden !!
can the east and west, the hole world, come back to this, please !!
And another world-record: The only Band which played on All 6 continents.
Fade to black by metallica from this concert is a must see.
Metallica is my first love! ❤❤❤
5th largest concert of all time!
*******Komrades with Love for thos Rebellious Americans.
That was a fun review to watch! Great job! Fyi, they stopped counting at 1.6 million....
The helicopter was watching the crowd and providing wind to the overcrowded people so no one would pass out 🎉
Epic❤
You know you are God Tier when you have helicopters doing crowd control.
Легендарная группа! Легендарный концерт! 👍😮
The helicopters were not a prop for the video, they were used due to this being on a military base and thats their solution to help cool the crowd!
15-year-old drunk and happy I'm out there somewhere))
As a Mezzo HeadBanger Mezzo Army Im so happy to watch u reacting to this video...
React to BonJovi at same concert.
🤘🏼🫰🏼
It was a festival, that's what I heard 😊
1.6 million😀😀🤘🤙👍👍👍
Heard the helicopters were there to assist circulating air so the crowd could breathe!
WORLD HISTORY
Yeah - that was still the USSR and those choppers were armed with orders to fire on the crowd if they rushed the stage. I've heard they stopped counting at 1.6 million and think it was more like 3 million there. As you can imagine, a lot of people died from the usual reasons (OD, crushed, other medical issues and unable to get out for help). But I love that Metallica was the 1st band to play in the USSR and are like the only band to play in all 7 continents, including Antarctica.
It was more than the population of Detroit that same year. Source… I’m from Detroit.
This video is so old, Lars still had hair😂
i was thinking the same thing lol
@@sherryramirez6329 Wallace bless their heart I love them to pieces and just wanna hug em all….
You should react to Am I evil by the big 4. It's epic!!!
Not the biggest and they were only one of the bands performing
Monsters of Rock, 1991-1.6 million
There have been countless large-scale rock festivals throughout history, but none bigger than the Soviet Union’s one-off edition of Monsters of Rock. In 1991, the combination of Metallica, AC/DC , The Black Crowes and many more attracted 1.6 million rockers to Moscow. With that many rock fans in one place, we imagine it must have been rather loud.
Rod Stewart, 1994-3.5 million
Music legend Rod Stewart holds the current world record for the biggest gig of all time - in 1994, he also performed on Copacabana Beach to to a staggering 3.5 million people celebrating New Year’s Eve. Although 99% of the crowd probably couldn’t see a thing, being part of the world’s biggest concert at New Year must have made for a pretty amazing atmosphere and a night the gig-goers will never forget.
Jean Michel Jarre, 1997-3.5 million
The king of big gigs is undoubtedly Jean Michel Jarre, performing a grand total of four concerts with an audience of over a million people each. Back in 1979 he set the world record for the biggest gig ever - his performance in Paris attracted a million fans. He then went on to break his own record twice. 1.5 million watched him in Houston in 1986, 2.5 million in Paris in 1990, and an astonishing 3.5 million in Moscow in 1997, equalising Rod Stewart’s world record. No concert since has matched up to that scale, but who knows what’s to come in the future?
You thought this was amazing-- check out their performance of "Creeping Death" (same concert). Amazingly EPIC, is all I can say. 👊🤘
Dude! You need to do Falling In Reverse and their cover of “ Last Resort “! 🔥🤯🔥🤯🔥
The population of North and South Dakota in one concert. Think about that.
A group of tribes people watched this video. They wondered why the pretty young lady on the drums wasn’t wearing a shirt.😂😂
1.6 M PEOPLE, JAMES IS YOUNG AND LONG HAIR
Sold Out because it was a FREE CONCERT!! Check out the interview done with CONAN and Lars Ulrich. In the words of Lars... "A total Mind Fuck"!!
Check out the interview Lars did with Conan, he talks about this show and playing in Antarctica but they couldn't disturb the penguins.
ANYONE WHO DOESN'T LOVE ROCK, DOESN'T LOVE ANY MUSIC, CAN ANYONE NOT SURRENDER TO METAL?
The helicopters were dropping water on the crowd..people still died
This is how you usher in the fall of the Soviet Union, with fire, Metallica, and 1,600,000 newly freed Russians.
I don’t really like rock, and I don’t like heavy metal or anything like that, but the weird thing is I like this song and another one from Metallica, I like a couple of nirvana and I love but love “welcome to the jungle” of Guns and roses…. But that’s it! Nothing else ever😂
back in the day with no plastic surgery
Nobody knows how many people were there. Some say a half of million, others say 1.6 million. What's cool is it was at the end of an evil empire and they welcomed in Western ideas and music. What a time to be alive. I was like 14. Watch Pantera live in Moscow as well
At this time it was Metallica and guns and roses imho as the 2 biggest bands at this point the black album just came out and use your illusion 1 and 2 came out at that time also you had the grunge bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana basically the hair band glam had met its rest guns and roses started it Metallica wasn’t commercial yet and grunge put the final nail in the coffin
Was my generation. Our peoples were never more united in history
You wouldn't think James Hetfield actual has performance anxiety and gets nervous before going on stage would you? Especially with this crowd of 1.6 million 😅
Helicopter was there too cool people off. Temp was in the 90’s
And it was free!
It's a great performance, and the crowd is monstrous. It's just a shame that Metallica got all the creds for this. People tend to forget that also AC/DC and Panthera, among others, played.
th-cam.com/video/UuSHPv3c194/w-d-xo.htmlsi=TaSIyx1vzWj-egA-
How do more metal bands not have massive brain damage from all the coup and contra-coup during head banging??!!
No leaf Clover is an awesome song. There's no other band as good as Metallica. Jaymz is the best frontman ever
how long did it take to get your car out of the lot after that concert??
***Most CITIES don't have that Many PEople!
Actually AC/DC were the main act for the monsters of rock moscow not just metallica
FYI. This after the fall of the Berlin Wall.