In an interview with Jeff Kulikowsky of Syracuse, NY station 9 WSYR-TV, former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted – who left the band in 2001 – spoke a bit about Metallica’s live shows and their recent gig in Syracuse this past Saturday (April 19th).
”Yeah, it’s been a while since Metallica played in Syracuse. I was with them there, I think it was ’96, that was the last time we did it,” Newsted said. “They have been together for 44 years. They have thousands of shows under their belt. I think probably the number one live act from America currently is Metallica. They bring it all every time, and I know that the production this time around is the most fantastical one to date. So, yeah, get your dancing shoes on.”
Newsted is currently scheduled to play a two-night benefit concert at the Hosmer Auditorium in Syracuse this July. Speaking about the upcoming shows, which are being billed as “Jason Nested & Friends,” the bassist said:
“I’ve been playing benefit shows the last 20 years or so. I choose six or eight a year, and they’re usually affiliated with youth, art and music programs. So I started out with a thing called Little Kids Rock back in the early 2000s. They now call it Music Will. And we have been responsible for putting thousands of instruments in kids’ hands. And so that was my beginning, and ever since that time, I’ve put my energies toward earning the kids — I guess trying to make them aware of art and make them aware of music and get instruments and paintbrushes in their hands.”
