The new lord mayor of Portsmouth in the UK took an unconventional approach to his inauguration ceremony, using Metallica song “Eye of the Beholder” as his walk-in music.
It was a sight to behold at Portsmouth Guildhall on Tuesday (May 16) when Lord Mayor Tom Coles walked to the podium with …And Justice For All noisy track. Contrasting the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony with the relatively brutal volume of thrash is the sketch-comedy level of absurdity.
Coles’ eccentricities didn’t stop there. During his speech, the new lord mayor recited a passage from Star Trek Klingon language, garnering smiles from his companions. As for his motivations for playing metal songs and speaking Klingon, Coles is simple told the BBC that he went “to what he wanted”.
“It went well with the audience, I had very good feedback,” he said, adding that he was “a big heavy metal fan.”
Speaking specifically about his use of “Eye of the Beholder,” Coles explained, “It’s a good song to go with. It has a little build-up and then it has a good beat, it’s a good song.
Someone needs to make sure the new lord mayor gets a VIP pass to the ongoing Metallica “M72” world tour. The journey has just begun and will run through 2024, and you can get tickets to the band’s upcoming concerts HERE.
Below you can watch a BBC clip of the lord mayor walking to “Eye of the Beholder” by Metallica.