The Shit Hits the Sheds was a
concert tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
by the American
heavy metal band
Metallica, which took place in 1994. The band played in 51 shows in North America, including a performance at
Woodstock '94
Woodstock '94 was an American music festival held in 1994 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock festival of 1969. It was promoted as "2 More Days of Peace and Music". The poster used to promote the first concert was r ...
, which had an attendance of over 300,000 people.
Overview
This tour is also known for the debut of the song "
The God That Failed", and
Lars Ulrich's down-scaled
drum kit
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...
s. According to Ulrich's interview on guitar center in 2014, two
rack tom
A tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snares, named from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala language. It was added to the drum kit in the early part of the 20th century. Most toms range in size between in diameter, though floor toms can go as l ...
s were removed from his original drum setup, thus allowing the
hi-hat cymbal and
ride cymbal The ride cymbal is a standard cymbal in most drum kits. Its function in the kit is to maintain a beat,Schroedl, Scott (2001). ''Play Drums Today!'', p.7. Hal Leonard. . "It's called the ride cymbal because you 'ride' on it--that is, you maintain a ...
to be placed nearer to him and making his drum kit easier to play.
This was also the last tour that Metallica played in
standard tuning
In music, standard tuning refers to the typical tuning of a string instrument. This notion is contrary to that of scordatura, i.e. an alternate tuning designated to modify either the timbre or technical capabilities of the desired instrument.
Viol ...
before tuning down to
E♭ standard due to
James Hetfield's deteriorating vocals from the recent large-scale tour in support of ''
Metallica'' (commonly known as the Black Album).
On the last date of the tour in Miami, the famed lead vocalist of
Judas Priest,
Rob Halford (who at the time was the lead vocalist for
Fight), sang guest vocals on stage for a performance of "Rapid Fire" from his band's 1980 album ''
British Steel''.
Supporting acts
The supporting acts for this tour were
Danzig,
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Mike Muir. Muir is the only remaining original member of the band. Along with D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, and Stor ...
(whose bassist
Robert Trujillo
Roberto Agustín Miguel Santiago Samuel Trujillo Veracruz (; born October 23, 1964) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica since 2003. He first rose to prominence as the bassist of crossover thrash ban ...
would join Metallica nine years later),
Candlebox
Candlebox is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since its formation in 1990, the group has released seven studio albums, several charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD.
Candlebox found immediate success with the release of ...
, and
Fight.
Fight were a replacement for
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
, who were forced to withdraw from the tour due to lead vocalist
Layne Staley
Layne Thomas Staley (born Layne Rutherford Staley; August 22, 1967 – April 5, 2002) was an American musician, songwriter and the original lead singer of the rock band Alice in Chains, which rose to international fame in the early 1990s as part ...
's heroin addiction.
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guit ...
(who had just released their breakthrough album ''
Smash'') were originally invited to replace Alice in Chains, but declined due to their desire to continue playing in clubs as well as logistical issues.
Despite Alice in Chains' withdrawal from the tour, the band's guitarist,
Jerry Cantrell
Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to internation ...
, joined Metallica on "For Whom the Bell Tolls" during their August 9, 1994 performance in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Typical setlist
(Taken from the Holmdel, New Jersey Garden State Arts Center show on June 1, 1994)
# "
Breadfan
"Breadfan" is a song by Welsh heavy metal band Budgie, appearing on their 1973 album '' Never Turn Your Back on a Friend''. The title of the song refers to a person's relationship to money, with " bread" being a slang term for money. The lyrics ...
" (
Budgie cover)
# "
Master of Puppets
''Master of Puppets'' is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on March 3, 1986, by Elektra Records. Recorded in Denmark at Sweet Silence Studios with producer Flemming Rasmussen, it was the band's last albu ...
"
# "
Wherever I May Roam
"Wherever I May Roam" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released in October 1992 as the fourth single from their eponymous fifth album, ''Metallica''. It reached number 82 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 peaked at number tw ...
"
# "
Harvester of Sorrow
"Harvester of Sorrow" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on August 28, 1988, as the first single from their fourth studio album, '' ...And Justice for All'' (1988). The song debuted at a live performance pr ...
"
# "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
# "
The God That Failed"
# "Kill/Ride Medley"
## "Ride the Lightning"
##"No Remorse"
##"The Four Horsemen"
##"Phantom Lord"
##"Fight Fire With Fire"
# "
For Whom the Bell Tolls
''For Whom the Bell Tolls'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1940. It tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American volunteer attached to a Republican guerrilla unit during the Spanish Civil War. As a dynamiter, he is assigned ...
"
# "Disposable Heroes"
# "
Seek & Destroy
"Seek & Destroy" is a 1983 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica and ninth track from their debut studio album, ''Kill 'Em All''. It was also featured on the demo '' No Life 'Til Leather''. It was the first song the band recorded in ...
"
# Guitar Solo
# "
Nothing Else Matters
"Nothing Else Matters" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released in 1992 as the third single from their self-titled fifth studio album, '' Metallica''. The song peaked at number 11 on the '' Billboard'' Mainstream Rock ...
"
# "
Creeping Death
"Creeping Death" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 23, 1984, as the lead and only commercial single from their album ''Ride the Lightning'' (" Fade to Black" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls", from the sam ...
"
# Bass Solo
# "
Fade to Black"
# "
Whiplash
Whiplash may refer to:
* The long flexible part of a whip
* Whiplash (medicine), a neck injury
** Whiplash Injury Protection System (WHIPS), in automobiles
Film and television
* ''Whiplash'' (1948 film), a US film noir about a boxer
* ''Whiplas ...
"
Encore:
#
"Sad but True
Sadness is an emotional pain associated with, or characterized by, feelings of disadvantage, loss, despair, grief, helplessness, disappointment and sorrow (emotion), sorrow. An individual experiencing sadness may become quiet or lethargic, and ...
"
# " One"
Encore 2:
# "Enter Sandman
"Enter Sandman" is a song by American heavy metal band Metallica. It is the opening track and lead single from their self-titled fifth album, released in 1991. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. Vocalist an ...
"
# " So What?" (Anti-Nowhere League
Anti-Nowhere League are an English punk rock band, formed in 1979 by lead singer Animal (Nick Culmer), guitarist Magoo (Chris Exall), Bones (Tony Shaw) on drums and Chris Elvy on bass.
Career Early days
The band first played at the 1980 Cha ...
cover)
Tour dates
Personnel
* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
* Kirk Hammett
Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...
– lead guitar
Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featu ...
* Jason Newsted
Jason Curtis Newsted (born March 4, 1963) is an American musician who was the bassist of Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Metallica from 1986 to 2001. He first performed with thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam (band), Flotsam and Jetsam from ...
– bass, backing vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are ...
* Lars Ulrich – drums
References
{{Metallica
1994 concert tours
Metallica concert tours