‘Anthem to the good times and the bad’: Metallica fans descend on U.S. Bank Stadium
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Taylor Swift isn’t the only headliner who can fill U.S. Bank Stadium for two nights. Heavy metal rockers Metallica sold tens of thousands of tickets to two shows: one on Friday and another on Sunday.
Some fans bought tickets to both.
“Metallica’s been a part of my life,” said James Curtis. “It is like the anthem to the good times and the bad. I have always connected with Metallica. It’s me and Metallica tonight. I’m on the floor and gonna rock out.”
Friday night was Curtis’ tenth Metallica concert. Rocking out isn’t the only thing he’ll be doing. He also expects to get a little weepy.
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“The middle movement of Orion will make me cry hands down, all day everyday,” Curtis said.
Curtis was not alone in his excitement. Fans of all ages came dressed in black, leather and fishnet arrays. Eyeliner was set and smearing on their faces as they made their way through downtown Minneapolis in the August heat.
18-year-old Ade Millerbernd and her mother made the trip from Colorado.
“For her 16th birthday, we brought her to go see Dead & Company,” said Jodi Millerbernd, Ade’s mother. “And then 17th, Gorillaz and 18th, Metallica. So we do experiences, and we do epic experiences.”
As a kid, Ade Millerbernd remembers falling in love with her mom’s favorite song, “The Four Horsemen.” Non-Metallica fans don’t know what they’re missing.
“The best music in the world,” she said. “Obviously, they’re missing out on, well number one, the best guitar solos you’ve ever heard. And it’s also just like fun, just to rock out.”
This was echoed by other fans who called Metallica “legendary,” “badass,” “godfathers of metal,” “soulful,” “passionate” and “astonishing.”
“They are just mad legends of metal music and just took it to a whole new level,” said Ryan Anderson, who was hoping to snag a Metallica poster before they sold out on either night.
The M72 World Tour promotes the band's 11th studio album, 72 Seasons, which was released in spring of 2023.
The Metallica M72 World Tour is expected to be the largest two-day indoor music event in Minnesota by attendance for a single artist in 2024, a U.S. Bank Stadium spokesperson confirmed.
“Music brings people together in a way that a lot of things can't,” said Jodi Millerbernd. “So we’re going to see 18-year-olds and 80-year-olds. And not many things can do that.”
