Metallica Reloaded: Ride the Lightning To Worthing! 2

Metallica Reloaded: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

Metallica Reloaded with guests District 13: The Factory Live 14/05/2026

A fully laden rock-focused package steamrolled into The Factory Live in Worthing! A great line up of two bands masterfully put together by Black Rabbit Productions.

Metallica Reloaded is a premier UK-based Metallica tribute band known for recreating a high-octane, authentic, and “sound-a-like” live concert experience. Drawing from a vast career of heavy metal hits and deeper cuts, the touring act—featuring experienced musicians who utilize the same musical gear as the original band—regularly perform at major venues and festivals across Europe.

Metallica Reloaded bring you the ultimate Metallica tribute show, joined tonight by special guests District 13.

Metallica Reloaded: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

The Set: Turn it up LOUD!

Opener tonight was the excellent track Creeping Death which has become a true classic. I think it’s one of Metallica’s most innovative songs: Metallica Reloaded fired it up giving us speed riffs, impeccable guitar work, excellent backing vocals, powerful chorus and amazing drums! It really was that good. Even at this early stage, the floor was already packed, with barely any gaps in sight and the crowd raising their horns high!

Metallica Reloaded: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

If refinement is what you need, then look no further as we were treated to King Nothing, from the LP LOAD, Seek & Destroy, from the first Metallica album Kill ‘Em All and Lux Æterna from a more recent offering 72 Seasons. We were well into a 90-minute riff-fest with a stellar solo or two! Two guitars powering out, some intestine aligning bass lines, with a superb display of thumping on the drums, a magnificent display of heavy hitting, patterns and fills.

Metallica Reloaded: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

From the outset, their sound was accurate, it was raw, direct, and unrelenting, setting the tone for a commanding performance from start to finish. The set list pulled from across the Metallica back catalogue had been perfectly put together. Sadly, there was no Whisky in The Jar, but no matter, we had everything else fired at us!

Metallica Reloaded: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

Enter Sandman

Songs tonight like Enter Sandman and Welcome Home (Sanitarium) sounded possibly even tighter and more aggressive than the “originals” as the guys powered them out. The bass lines played perfectly getting the love they deserve. Sandman started up with the instantly recognisable intro as the band kicked a few 100 watts of power into it. We had a small mosh pit. The guy beside me head banged his way violently through the set. I can only imagine the next day for him included the possible wearing of a neck brace. The crowd were spot on, lots of fist pumping, singing and screaming back at the band when invited.

A Video: Seek & Destroy – LIVE!

Ride The Lightning is almost an unsung classic in the heavy metal world, Metallica Reloaded delivered this one with style and it was loud! We had the pulsating intro, the guitars piling in all backed up with the bass and drums, and then the vocals unleashed ripping through the sizeable crowd. Perfect.

The riffs tonight are a plenty, there are just as much memorable melodies and there is some magnificent lead guitar work tonight. Very little to complain about here!  Got to hand to these guys and praise the band’s ability to inject mosh-pit-fuelled energy into The Factory Live crowd. They were jumping!

When you look at those big hitters like For Whom The Bell Tolls, Master Of Puppets, Nothing Else Matters and Of Wolf and Man which take up the majority of the set, it is truly impossible to deny that these are incredible songs. Metallica Reloaded did them all justice, a true homage to the original band and material. They just nailed it tight.

With Metallica Reloaded it is all Metallica style and energy, as it should be. And the sturdy riffing on Puppets, Fuel and Creep would make me come back for seconds any day.

Dyers Eve has that raw, slow staccato guitar start, in come the drums and we are fired into almost thrash metal riffs at their best! Fingers flying up and down the necks of the guitars as the drum pounded out the beat as the screamed vocals nearly ripped our faces off!

The Set: So What!

Metallica Reloaded: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

They guys had been playing at full tilt, taking it all the way to 10 for over 90 minutes. They were not finished with us yet, they cranked it up to 11 for the set closer So What.

“So f’ing what”, came the scream, greeted with a huge cheer from the crowd as the band fired their final salvo at us! “Well, I’ve been to Hastings, And I’ve been to Brighton, I’ve been to Eastbourne too, So what, so what”. The crowd erupted with moshing and shouting along with the So What’s. Finally we had Blackened. Fabulous and what a way to end a set.

Metallica Reloaded delivered the ultimate sound-a-like tribute. They rocked! By the end of their set, the room felt physically and mentally drained in the best conceivable way. The large crowd faded away into the dark, lots of smiling faces and maybe the odd pair of whistling ears!

Metallica Reloaded: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

Keep in touch with Metallica Reloaded on their Facebook page.

District 13

District 13: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

District 13 are a 3-piece heavy alternative rock band based in London. Tonight they had travelled to Worthing to open up a night of metal/rock with Metallica Reloaded. They have a couple of albums out there and on display on the merch desk, Soma and Step Into The Fire.

This is a new outfit for me, and if they are new to you their website has the following information about the band. The band came together when Asen (Drums) and Richard (Bass) placed an advert for a singer to start a new project. Jon (Vocals/Guitar) applied and District 13 was formed.

District 13 aim to infuse Heavy Metal and Punk to create their own unique sound. They have been described as a cross between Black Sabbath and The Ramones. Their songs are mostly up-tempo heavy and the band prides itself on a high energy stage show.

I can happily confirm those points as the band nailed down a lively stage show. District 13 performed at the Hills of Rock festival in Bulgaria in 2018 and 2022, this festival was headlined by Judas Priest and Iron Maiden (2018). These guys know what they are doing and do it well, hard and heavy. This almost vintage style of sound was an instant hit for those, like me, seeing them for the first time.

Without much of an introduction, they powered straight into the first song of the set, First Impressions, Jon his fiery passion and powerful voice was immediately ignited, making him an incredible frontman that you cannot take your eyes off of, his guitar cutting through the venue and his eyes peering out through his hair. They kick off the set with the aggressively rocking When You Come Around, two tracks from their album release, Soma. The crowd immediately locked in.

District 13: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

District 13 fill the room with their melodic leads and crunchy rhythm parts. They show case their skills effortlessly, their dynamic is visibly strong. The trio set about to put on a show that made the venue feel somehow larger than it is, it’s a big sound they pump out! Their love of the craft and material just oozed from the stage, playing each note with precision and pure passion.

Bass and guitars commanded the front of the stage. It was not hard to see that these guys enjoy being onstage, as their constant movements and head banging kept things visually entertaining. However, even the band’s sound alone had the audience hooked. We were treated to the song Soma, the title of that first album.

The set continued with a fiery opening riff, Step Into The Fire, the title track from their recent album. A cracker of a song with a solid banging chorus line. Also from The Step Into The Fire album we were treated to Apologetic Trickster and These Four Walls. It’s all melodic but heavy, they blend the familiar elements of heavy metal and a selection of big arena rock, they mould it into something unique but familiar. They utilise their influences without copying, and create a magnificent sound of their own. It is all really rather splendid and satisfying.

District 13: Photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex

District 13 kept the momentum of their set high, and their 40 minute set closed with Cantankerous! Well played!

Join in with District 13 on Facebook here.

And Finally

Thanks to: Metallica Reloaded and District 13
Thanks to The Factory Live and Black Rabbit Productions.

Words, Videos and Photos for Scene Sussex by Ian “The Lens” Bourn.
No AI or filters used, its pure and straight down “the lens”!

CONGRATULATIONS to The Factory Live: Prestige Awards , an organisation launched to celebrate businesses and individuals that consistently offer excellent products and services to local residents, has crowned The Factory in Worthing as South England ‘Live Music Venue of the Year’ for 2025-26, a second consecutive win for the intimate venue on the South Coast, who were also awarded the title in 2024-25. Well deserved guys! Loving the changes being made outside the venue!

Black Rabbit Productions hosted the evening. They work hard promoting live music on the south coast. They are a promotion company with years of experience putting on music shows. Tonight was superb. They have some great gigs lined up, a great time is pretty much guaranteed with these guys. You can find Black Rabbit Productions on the WWW

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