A lo-fi recording of Metallica’s first show with bassist Cliff Burton is making the rounds on metal sites this week, despite being uploaded to YouTube five years ago. Nonetheless, it’s a rare treat that not only marks Burton’s live debut with the metal legends, but one of the small number of gigs in which Burton and Dave Mustaine were both in the band.
Burton, who had been in the band Trauma, joined Metallica in December 1982, replacing original bassist Ron McGovney. His aforementioned first show with Metallica took place on March 5th, 1983, at The Stone in San Francisco.
The 12-song set took place one month before Mustaine was fired from the band for excessive drinking and aggressive behavior, and four months before Metallica would release their debut album, Kill ‘Em All.
At one point on the recording, around the 6:20 mark, it appears that Mustaine introduces Burton, calling him “the new rager.” Most of the songs played would appear on Kill ‘Em All, which was released on July 25th of that year.
Burton, who played on Metallica’s first three albums, would tragically die on September 27th, 1986, when Metallica’s tour bus crashed in Sweden.
Setlist of Metallica’s first show with Cliff Burton (March 5th, 1983):
The Mechanix
Phantom Lord
Jump In The Fire
Motorbreath
No Remorse
Seek & Destroy
(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth
Whiplash
Am I Evil?
The Prince
Blitzkrieg
Metal Militia
