{"id":250828,"date":"2025-10-30T11:54:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/250828\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T11:54:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:54:15","slug":"metallica-perth-approaches-fever-pitch-as-heavy-metal-rockers-countdown-to-optus-stadium-show-on-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/250828\/","title":{"rendered":"Metallica: Perth approaches fever pitch as heavy metal rockers countdown to Optus Stadium show on Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"

Metallica madness is set to hit an \u201ceardrum-rattling\u201d fever pitch in Perth, with one of the globe\u2019s biggest heavy metal bands to kick-start the Australian leg of their epic M72 World Tour at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

Lead singer James Hetfield was spotted incognito and relaxed aboard a Rottnest Express ferry on Thursday afternoon, alongside his girlfriend Adriana Gillett, as the countdown to the metal group\u2019s epic national tour launch continues to tick.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the first time the American band \u2014 dubbed the biggest of the \u201cBig Four\u201d thrash bands \u2014 has been Down Under in more than a decade.<\/p>\n

Comprising founders Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, along with Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo, the four-piece group will be supported by nostalgic rockers Evanescence and Suicidal Tendencies.<\/p>\n

As fans speculate over Metallica\u2019s setlist, PerthNow can share photographs of the infamous Snake Pit \u2014 a thrilling mosh pit built into the staging area.<\/p>\n

While tight-lipped on the stage\u2019s \u201ctop secret\u201d final form, Optus Stadium chief executive Mike McKenna suggested die-hard fans with Snake Pit tickets would get their money\u2019s worth \u2014 with limited packages selling from $998 to $3998.<\/p>\n

\"GeneralCamera IconGeneral view of Optus Stadium with the stage built for the Metallica concert on Saturday, featuring the Snake Pit. Credit: Luke Williams\/7NEWS\/Luke Williams\/7NEWS<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a big area. But for those fans lucky enough to be in the Snake Pit, it\u2019s a really intimate 360 experience. So they\u2019ll have a great time,\u201d he told PerthNow on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Metallica super-fan Dean Pearce has already been to 13 M72 concerts across Europe, and will follow the band as they continue their tour around Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Perth show this Saturday will be 14, and then Adelaide and Melbourne will make 16, and then next year I\u2019m off to London, which will be 17,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a full time job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MetallicaCamera IconMetallica frontman James Hetfield on the ferry to Rottnest. Credit: Gregory Kuerschner\/facebook\/supplied<\/p>\n

Mr Pearce said he had been a Metallica fan his entire life, and is the proud owner of one of the world\u2019s biggest Metallica memorabilia collections.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was a child my brother was into Metallica, so I used to sneak into his room and play his Metallica records, and I\u2019ve been hooked ever since,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually have a Metallica room inside my house, which is full of merch that I\u2019ve been collecting since the 1980s right up until now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Metallica has also joined forces with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which will see all donors gifted with a limited edition t-shirt designed by the band\u2019s artist, SQUINDO.<\/p>\n

Mega-fan Shane Gibson \u2014 who donated blood for the first time on Thursday \u2014 has been a Metallica fan for the past 35 years, and says it is \u201cpretty much part of every day life\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got my first Metallica cassette single in 1991 when the black album came out, then when Sandman came out I watched (the music video) every Saturday religiously on (TV show) rage, and then I got the CAS single for that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"MetallicaCamera IconMetallica fans Scott Williamson, Shane Gibson and Dean Smith with Dainen Pearce while he gives blood at Lifeblood in Perth. Credit: Ross Swanborough\/The West Australian<\/p>\n

He said he had passed his love for the band to his six-year-old son, and said the pair were looking forward to Saturday night\u2019s epic extravaganza.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s his first concert experience \u2014 I never took him to the Wiggles, I just couldn\u2019t do it, so we\u2019re staying at the casino and he\u2019s super excited,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Tragically, Mr Gibson lost his wife to breast cancer last year, and said he was donating his own blood to give back.<\/p>\n

And whilst his wife wasn\u2019t a Metallica fan, Mr Gibson said \u201cshe liked how much I liked them\u201d.<\/p>\n

Lifeblood chief executive Steven Cornelissen said donations had increased by about 50 per cent since the collaboration launched, with many being first-time donors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need blood and plasma every day and we never have enough, so to have these fans come in and to have new donors join us is fantastic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope that them seeing the blood in the bag is as good as hearing Whiskey in the Jar.\u201d<\/p>\n

With all Aussie eyes to be on Perth on Saturday for the national tour launch, Mr McKenna promised it would be a night local metal fans would never forget, and a far cry from the group\u2019s Burswood Dome performance of 2010.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis would be a bit different experience than that, because you do have the outside atmosphere to help you. But I think if you\u2019re a fan of heavy metal, this will be something that you\u2019ll experience and remember forever,\u201d the Optus Stadium chief executive said.<\/p>\n

\"OptusCamera IconOptus Stadium Chief Executive Mike McKenna is excited to host Metallica at Optus Stadium. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper\/The West Australian<\/p>\n

However, it won\u2019t just be attendees head-banging.<\/p>\n

Expecting a soundcheck to be conducted prior to the show, Mr McKenna suggested the familiar echo of Enter Sandman or Fade to Black might ring out in the neighbouring suburbs well before the headliners take the stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything I\u2019ve been told is, it\u2019s going to be eardrum-rattling territory,\u201d he revealed, adding \u201cpeople who live in this area will hear\u201d any soundchecks prior.<\/p>\n

Fans will also be treated to mouth-watering Metallica-themed food, including \u201cnothing else batters\u201d fish tortillas, \u201cleek and destroy\u201d loaded fries and \u201cfight fire with fire\u201d burgers.<\/p>\n

Organisers are hoping for close to 60,000 tickets to be snapped up prior to showtime, however, several seating options had yet to be exhausted on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\"###Camera Icon### ALL ONLINE OUT UNTIL AFTER 12PM WHEN 7NEWS BROADCASTS. AFTER 12PM, ONLINE PLEASE USE WATERMARKED IMAGES UNTIL 6PM ### General view of Optus Stadium with the stage built for the Metallica concert on Saturday. Luke Williams\/7NEWS Credit: Luke Williams\/7NEWS\/Luke Williams\/7NEWS<\/p>\n

Saturday night will be the first concert showcase at the stadium since March 2024, when American pop singer Pink dazzled crowds as part of her Summer Carnival tour.<\/p>\n

The show will launch a sizzling summer of live entertainment at Optus Stadium, including AC\/DC on December 4 and 8, and Ed Sheeran on January 31 and February 1.<\/p>\n

However, for cricket lovers, the more pertinent question being asked is how will Optus Stadium plan for the flood of metal fans stomping across the turf with less than three weeks until day one of the first Ashes test?<\/p>\n

Mr McKenna said \u201clots of planning\u201d goes into protecting the sacrosanct wicket, assuring fans \u201cnothing to do with the concert\u201d would jeopardise it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cover it just as the concert\u2019s about the staff people start coming in, and we take the covering off it straight afterwards,\u201d he revealed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the curators therefore get access to it all the time, so they\u2019ll have plenty of time to prepare it while everything goes on around the wicket. And the outfield will be a good nick as well.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Metallica madness is set to hit an \u201ceardrum-rattling\u201d fever pitch in Perth, with one of the globe\u2019s biggest…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":250829,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[64,63,134,136,45],"class_list":["post-250828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-entertainment","tag-music","tag-wa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/250829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}