Metallica To Anchor Five North American Rock Festivals In 2020

The countdown clock on Metallica's new website MetallicaXX.com reached all zeroes on Thursday and the band announced a series of festival performances in 2020.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band has signed on to anchor five massive rock festivals in 2020, with two performances at each event: Epicenter, Welcome to Rockville, Sonic Temple, Louder Than Life and Aftershock.

The same production company, Danny Wimmer Presents, is behind all five American festivals. Wimmer himself emphasized what a big deal it is for the most important American heavy metal band in history to be lending its services to the festival scene.

"Metallica paved this road that we travel," he said, regarding the band's influence. "How many artists on the bill at these five festivals picked up an instrument or first started a band because of Metallica?"

Metallica has rarely performed for festival audiences in recent years, with the exception of its own band-produced Orion Festivals from a few years ago.

Metallica has keen on using its tours to showcase younger bands in its opening slots, and the 2020 festivals plans could be interpreted as an extension of those goals.

After canceling a tour of Australia and New Zealand due to front man James Hetfield heading back to rehab in September, it also appears the band is planning a light year of touring in 2020.

So far, Metallica has only announced a tour of South America in the spring and the festival dates coming in September. Get all the tour dates here.

Photo: Getty Images

Metallica In Concert - Las Vegas, NV

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