I saw Metallica on the Ride the Lightning tour back in 1984. They played the little, ancient auditorium in our City Hall building in cedar Rapids, Iowa. There were, perhaps, 400 or 500 headbangers in attendance.
(Armoured Saint and W.A.S.P. were the other two bands on the bill. In fact, I think W.A.S.P. was the headliner.)
Correction: it was early 1985.
Man, I'm old.