METALLICA Drummer: 'Finding The Inspiration To Play Hometown Shows Is Never Difficult'

METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich took part in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday (July 24) to promote the band's headlining appearance at the 2012 edition of Outside Lands festival, set to take place August 10-12 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Also scheduled to appear are Stevie Wonder, NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE, Skrillex, Jack White, FOO FIGHTERS, Beck, SIGUR RÓS, FUN., JUSTICE, Norah Jones, THE KILLS, OF MONSTERS AND MEN, ALABAMA SHAKES and GRANDADDY.

Billing itself as "the world's only gourmet music festival," Outside Lands pairs music with wine and food. The event's producers will donate a significant portion of every ticket sold will directly benefit San Francisco's Recreation and Park Department. In addition, the festival will offer over 100 food and wine options including organic, kegged wine; food trucks and local vendors from over 50 local restaurants. Likewise, Wine Lands will celebrate over 30 of the region's wineries.

On playing this year's Outside Lands:

Ulrich: "As anybody knows about METALLICA, we've championed San Francisco all around the world. We're very proud of our relationship with San Francisco."

"The biggest thing with any San Francisco show is managing the guest list."

"Golden Gate Park is an awesome, awesome, awesome setting … The whole vibe there is so fucking next level, all we have to do is just show up and make sure we're firing on all 24 cylinders. … Finding the inspiration to play hometown shows is never difficult."

"Last year, I took my kids to see MUSE and ARCTIC MONKEYS and the rest of the bands that were playing [at Outside Lands]. The year before that was KINGS OF LEON; the year before that I think it was BLACK EYED PEAS. As a Bay Area resident and as a music fan, going to see Outside Lands every year is a huge thing. Not only for me but also my family. Getting a chance to play it and to headline is obviously a huge thing for us. If I'm not going to play it, I'm going to go and I'm going to take my kids. It's sort of the concert highlight of their year . . . So it works on all fronts."

On the Outside Lands setlist:

Ulrich: "With these types of situations where you are playing to 50,000-75,000 people, there are songs you should play in those settings. … We always try to play different songs and bring deeper cuts out that we don't play all the time. We'll put some so-called hits in, with some obscure stuff and some deep cuts and whatever else. There's lots of songs to choose from, and I'm sure we'll roll some wacky stuff out of our sleeves. There will be shit that blows up, and shit that moves, and all that kind of stuff. So it will be fun for the whole family, as we like to hear ourselves say."

For more information, visit www.sfoutsidelands.com.