TRIVIUM is currently on a U.S. headlining tour, and the group’s frontman Matt Heafy recently spoke about how his bandmates prepare for their shows.
In an interview with Meltdown of Detroit’s WRIF radio station, Heafy explained: “We definitely put the time in. I think we prep more than any band that I’ve heard of. I’ve got an hour-plus warm-up that’s very specific for my vocals, and we do like a 30-to-45-minute band jam as well with this mini set-up. We’ve got like a V kit [electronic drums] and tiny amps; we learned that from MEGADETH and METALLICA. And we also do a long soundcheck just to make sure we’re really dialed in. So when people come out, they really get their money’s worth.
“It’s funny. We did the MAIDEN run [as the support act on the summer/fall 2022 U.S. tour] and [MAIDEN bassist] Steve Harris came in at the end to thank us for being on the bill. We’ve toured with them before a lot. He looks around and he’s, like, ‘You guys play a lot, huh?’ I was, like, ‘Yeah, we just love to make sure we’re nice and warm.’ And he was, like, ‘The only other band I’ve seen do that is METALLICA.’ So the fact that Steve Harris compared us to METALLICA in a small way, it’s another one of those amazing, amazing little instances. I’ll never forget that.”
Last November, TRIVIUM opened for METALLICA‘s “intimate” concert at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Speaking to El Cuartel Del Metal about how the Orlando metallers landed the opening slot at the METALLICA gig, Heafy said: “It was Sunday afternoon [four days before the show]. I think we were just about to watch a movie with the kids. And I got an e-mail from our manager. He’s, like, ‘METALLICA asked if you can be available for this Thursday.’ We were, like, ‘Yes. Yes, we can. Let’s do everything we can.’ But we had to keep it quiet ’cause it wasn’t fully confirmed yet. It didn’t get confirmed until, I think, 30 minutes before we started driving down to South Florida. So we had to get our crew back down to Florida, get our gear back together, rehearse again. Luckily, we all rehearse so much individually, it’s not like we’re ever sloppy; it’s not like we take time off. So we were ready to go. And we made it happen. We got down there. We weren’t able to say ‘hey’ [to the guys METALLICA], but METALLICA left us an amazing handwritten letter and gave us a box of [METALLICA‘s] Blackened [whiskey].”
“To be able to see them at a quote[-unquote] small show; I mean, a small show for them is seven thousand people. That’s more people than we can do on a big show,” he continued. “So, to be able to watch them that close — I was able to be on the floor and watch them — it was incredible. They’re all amazing, but [James] Hetfield‘s voice sounds better than ever. I don’t know how the hell that happened, but he sounds like a better singer now than he’s ever been. And it’s just so amazing. The vibe was great.”
