Kirk Hammett injures his knee onstage playing Master Of Puppets – but strides back in time for the solo

Kirk Hammett appears to have suffered an onstage injury during Metallica’s show in Gothenburg, Sweden last month, according to recently shared fan footage.

The new YouTube clips show the Metallica man twist his knee (at approximately the 1:40 mark in the video below) and suddenly begin hopping while the band perform Master Of Puppets, during the Gothenburg leg of their M72 world tour on June 16. 

METALLICA - Master of puppets live @ Gothenburg Sweden June 16th 2023 - YouTube

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Clearly in pain, Hammett continues to alternate between playing and setting his electric guitar aside while he attempts to reset or massage his knee. He somehow sees the thrash-y section of the song’s opening section through to its climax, before he heads to the side of the stage. 

It is unclear from the footage if Hammett receives any treatment in this brief window, but he quickly returns to the stage seemingly able to walk again. Fans have speculated in the comments, suggesting that his knee was perhaps somehow reset or that it was the result of some kind of cramp.

KIRK HAMMETT INJURES HIS KNEE LIVE (2023) #METALLICA - YouTube

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Regardless, the guitarist doesn’t seem to miss a beat, somehow returning to the stage in time for the proceeding bridge and solo. It’s a pretty neat illustration of the grit and dedication to the show that has powered Metallica’s long stay at the top of the metal tree.

Hammett is no stranger to injuries, of course. Fans long wondered about his habit of wearing white tape on his picking hand during shows – something that drew a lot of attention. 

“I switched to transparent tape but it still attracts a lot of attention. Damn!” he told fans back in 2020. “But you know, sometimes I’ll jokingly say, ‘Oh, that’s my secret to all my technique!’”

If you want to have a (seated) go at playing Hammett's parts from his ill-fated Gothenburg performance, here’s how to play Master Of Puppets.

The stage can be a perilous place for performers and their team. Not long ago, Bruce Springsteen accidentally hit his guitar tech in the head while attempting to execute a smooth guitar throw at the end of a song.

In 2015, meanwhile, Dave Grohl was forced to perform on a specially designed throne after he broke his leg on stage – which, strangely, also occurred during a gig in Gothenburg.