On This Day in Metal: April 16th 1983 Kirk Hammett Played His First Show With Metallica

After recently firing Dave Mustaine from the band, Metallica was in need of a new guitarist and called Exodus guitarist Kirk Hammett for whom they flew up to New Jersey from San Francisco to audition for them. He instantly bonded with the band and played his first concert with them at at The Showplace, Dover, New Jersey on April 16th 1983.

A few weeks before that he received a call from them to come and try out for them. At first he thought it was a April Fool's Day joke but it really wasn't.

In a post on X, Kirk told "This Day in Metal" about it.

Setlist:

1- Hit the Lights
2- The Mechanix
3- Phantom Lord
4- Jump in the Fire
5- Motorbreath
6- No Remorse
7- (Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth
8- Whiplash
9- Seek and Destroy

Though some of us miss Dave Mustaine in Metallica it actually worked out for the better as we got two great bands in the form of Megadeth and Metallica.