Metallica performed the historic 1991 concert at Tushino Airfield in Moscow. The show took place on September 28 during the European Monsters of Rock festival and was part of the era surrounding The Black Album's breakthrough.
The concert was described as the first free outdoor Western rock concert in Soviet history. Estimates of the crowd varied widely, with commonly cited figures ranging from about 150,000 to 500,000 people; unofficial claims reached much higher numbers.
Metallica shared the festival bill with other major rock and metal acts, including AC/DC, Pantera, Mötley Crüe, Queensrÿche, and The Black Crowes. The event became one of the most famous large-scale concerts associated with the band's early-1990s peak.
Tushino Airfield is sometimes confused with Moscow's stadium venues. It was an airfield north-west of central Moscow, chosen because its open space could accommodate an enormous audience.