Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich looks back on a defining moment from his youth: the first concert that truly blew him away. At just nine years old, he had the chance to witness a legendary performance by Deep Purple, an event that had a profound impact on his musical journey.
An early introduction to rock
While many discover rock music as teenagers, Lars Ulrich was immersed in this universe much earlier, thanks to his father, Torben Ulrich, a former professional tennis player. During an interview with Classic Rock, Ulrich shared his memories of a Deep Purple concert he attended in 1973 in Copenhagen, at just nine years old.
“There was a tennis tournament at the KB Hallen in Copenhagen that started on a Monday morning, and Deep Purple was playing there the day before,” he says. “For some reason, they invited all the tennis players to come to the concert. My father took me with him. It was the spring of 1973 and Purple was promoting Who Do We Think We Are.”
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A concert engraved in his memory
Ulrich still remembers some iconic moments from the concert, which left a lasting impression on him: “I remember Ritchie Blackmore throwing his guitar into the spotlight, rubbing it against the speakers and playing it with his butt.”
He goes on to describe the incredible energy on stage: “Jon Lord was rocking the beast, Ian Gillan was hiding behind a cascade of hair playing bongos, Roger Glover was keeping the beat, and Ian Paice, with his glasses, was doing his thing on the drums.”
This concert completely blew away young Lars: “I’ve never seen anything so strong and so cool.”
A lasting influence
This Deep Purple concert was not just a moment of entertainment for young Ulrich, but a turning point in his musical life. He explains that although he was listening to bands like Slade, The Sweet and Status Quo at the time, Deep Purple represented a completely different level: “They had a heaviness, an energy and a power… In my musical vocabulary, they were the extreme.”
Ulrich remained an avid admirer of Deep Purple growing up. He remembers with emotion following them during their reformation in 1985: “When they reformed, we were on tour with Metallica for Ride The Lightning, playing American clubs. James Hetfield and I took a plane to see them in St. Louis.”
