Metallica calls off show over COVID case
Metallica canceled a concert on its European tour after a member of the band’s “family” tested positive for COVID-19.
The Bay Area hard rock band did not specify whether it was a band member that was infected but said it would not be able to perform at Frauenfeld Rocks in Switzerland on Wednesday, June 29.
“It is with a very heavy heart that we are announcing that we will not be appearing at Frauenfeld Rocks in Switzerland today, as unfortunately, a member of the Metallica family has tested positive for COVID,” the band said in a social media post. “We are beyond sorry to disappoint those of you planning to attend this show.”
Metallica, which headlined the BottleRock Napa Valley festival last month, added that it attempted to reschedule the concert in Switzerland but that any nearby venues large enough to hold the band were booked for the next two years.
The band is offering its fans full refunds for the date.
“It was our intention to reschedule a show in Switzerland as soon as possible, however in overnight discussions with the local promoters, sadly it became apparent that schedules and venues do not line up for the remainder of this year or next,” said Metallica, which consists of frontman James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, June 30, Metallica released a live recording from 2014 that includes the band’s distinctive takes on Rare Earth’s “I Just Want to Celebrate,” the Beatles’ “In My Life,” Deep Purple’s “When a
Proceeds from a new EP of live covers benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund.
Blind Man Cries” and Ozzy Osbourne’s “Diary of a Madman.”
Recorded at the MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert at the Novo, formerly called Club Nokia, in Los Angeles, the EP is available on CD, or as a digital download from the band’s website, priced from $3.99 to $9.98. As part of its ongoing 40th anniversary celebration, Metallica is releasing rare and archive performances on Live Metallica.com.
Proceeds from the new release benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund, which supports addiction recovery treatment for musicians.
Metallica also recently teamed up with the Yousician platform, self-described as a “Duolingo of Music,” which enables musicians of all levels to learn to play an instrument at home at their own pace with the band.
As part of the program, guitarists Hetfield and Hammett plan to lead 10 sessions, teaching fans how to play tracks like “Enter Sandman,” “Nothing Else Matters,” “One,” “Master of Puppets” and other popular tunes.
Fans can sign up for the courses on Yousician’s website, https:// yousician.com, which is used by 20 million people globally.