Metallica Snubs The Bay Area On Newly Announced World Tour

Photo of Metallica By Raph_PH

Metallica is technically an LA band, but they made their lives and spent much of their early careers here. There are few musical acts that are as globally loved as Metallica, and the Bay Area takes pride in the fact that their journey on the road to success was so intertwined with San Francisco, Marin and even small East Bay cities like El Cerrito. So, it must’ve come as a huge surprise to local fans when Metallica announced their new album, “72 Seasons,” that the tour to support the record didn’t feature a single Bay Area date. 

I have a suspicion that Metallica is kind of over the Bay.

I don’t care about Metallica, and even I’m like what the fuck? 

These guys did a concert and filmed a music inside of San Quentin in 2003, but they can’t book a show at the fuckin’ Oracle arena in Oakland or Oracle Park In San Francisco? Also why does the same tech company have their name on both? It’s kind of overkill, but whatever. 

I have a suspicion that Metallica is kind of over the Bay. While doing some research for this article, I stumbled upon an interview that James Hetfield, the lead singer of Metallica, did with Joe Rogan, where he stated he was sick of Marin County and the Bay Area’s elitism as a reason why he moved to Colorado. 

“I kinda got sick of the Bay Area, the attitudes of people there a little bit. ‘Ya know? They talk about how diverse they are and things like that, ‘ya know? It’s fine if you’re diverse like them, ‘ya know? But, ‘ya know? Showin’ up with a deer on the bumper of your truck doesn’t fly in Marin County, ‘ya know?”

James Hetfield wants to know if you know, ‘ya know? 

James Hetfield’s interview isn’t the only indicator that Metallica might be tired of the Bay Area. Back in 2019, Kirk Hammett, Metallica’s lead guitarist, sold his San Francisco Mansion in Sea Cliff near the Golden Gate Bridge. Lars Ulrich, Metallica’s drummer, sold his Marin County mansion in Tiburon back in 2019 as well. Robert Trujillo, Metallica’s bassist, never came to the Bay and opted for Santa Monica. 

Whether or not Metallica is into the Bay Area’s social climate, it doesn’t mean they have to punish fans that have supported the band through shitty releases like St. Anger or that weird old man arthouse project that they did with Lou Reed. And if Los Angeles gets a date, then we should, too. 

I know a lot of NorCal Metallica fans are likely to make the drive to LA to see Metallica play, but I don’t think they should. I also don’t think fans of the Raiders should go to Vegas to see them suck in the desert as much as they sucked in the Bay. I’m not dissing Raiders fans, I’m dissing the Raiders for abandoning a city that loved them. 

Also, I’d like to point out that the members of Metallica lived in the most pretentious parts of the Bay. Of course you’re going to deal with annoying rich people when you purposely surround yourself with them. That’s like moving to Silicon Valley and being like “man, why are all these techies here?” 

Metallica not performing in a place where so many people love them isn’t fair to the fans… ‘ya know?

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