Metallica

Watch footage from Metallica’s first Saudi Arabia show

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The band is the second foreign metal act to play in Saudi Arabia.

This week, Metallica performed for the first time in Saudi Arabia. Watch the fan-shot video below.

In their last performance of 2023, the Metal Titans took the stage at the Soundstorm event in Riyadh on Thursday, December 14. They played a 16-song set list that included favorites like “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Master Of Puppets,” and “Enter Sandman.”

Technical death metal band Cryptopsy got there first when they played in Riyadh on December 1, but Metallica’s concert was touted as the first-ever performance by a big international heavy metal group in the kingdom when it was confirmed on November 27.

See the setlist and watch the fan-filmed video below:

Setlist: 

‘Creeping Death’
‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’
‘Wherever I May Roam’
‘The Memory Remains’
‘Lux Æterna’
‘Too Far Gone?’
‘Fade To Black’
‘Fuel’
‘Orion’
‘Nothing Else Matters’
‘Sad But True’
‘The Unforgiven’
‘Seek & Destroy’
‘One’
‘Master Of Puppets’
‘Enter Sandman’

According to Metal Injection, a representative with Heavy Arab Entertainment made the following comments: “We take immense pride in pioneering the organization of the first-ever international metal band in Saudi Arabia, and we are incredibly honored to have Cryptopsy, alongside [support bands] Creative Waste and Necrosin, marking a significant milestone in the history of the Saudi metal scene.”

“Our commitment to promise and deliver, even in the face of imperfections, has truly been the driving force behind this milestone for the scene. Above all, our personal biggest achievement is finally providing a platform for our local metal bands to share the stage with their idols and major influences right here in their homeland. Every one of our bands has played an integral role as participants, co-creators, and enablers in realizing our collective vision to firmly establish Saudi Arabia on the global metal music map.”

In May 2024, Metallica will embark on a second leg of their M72 World Tour, which will see them perform two nights in each location with two separate sets of songs that are strictly “no repeats,” as well as new opening bands. September 2024 will mark the end of the trip to Mexico.

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