METALLICA To Celebrate 40th Anniversary With Two Shows In San Francisco For Fan-Club Members Only

METALLICA has announced details of its massive 40th-birthday celebration: The band will mark this milestone by inviting the worldwide METALLICA family to join them in their hometown of San Francisco for two unique live shows featuring two different setlists December 17 and 19 at Chase Center. Tickets for these shows will be available only to registered members of METALLICA's Fifth Member fan club (more details below).

The 40th-anniversary shows see METALLICA return to Chase Center for the first time since the September 2019 "S&M²" concerts that also served as the venue's grand opening. It was impossible not to notice that fans from more than 60 countries traveled to the City by the Bay and completely took over San Francisco for "S&M²" weekend. That outpouring of positive vibes from around the world inspired METALLICA to invite those Fifth Members back — and this time, in addition to the two shows at Chase Center, METALLICA will be curating other live music and comedy events, Blackened Whiskey tastings, and so much more all around the city during the long four-day weekend of celebrations starting on Thursday, December 16. Details and ticketing information for these various events will be announced as they are confirmed.

Tickets for the December 17 and 19 Chase Center shows will be available only to registered Fifth Members. In an effort to make it as fair as possible for every member who would like to attend, Fifth Members are invited to enter to win a reservation code that will guarantee them the opportunity to purchase tickets. Reservation winners will be chosen randomly and e-mailed additional information and directions to proceed with purchase.

Winners will have the option to choose from two-day tickets to gain entry to both METALLICA shows at the Chase Center or single day tickets for the show on either December 17 or December 19. Travel packages that include both tickets and hotel accommodations will also be available at MetallicaTravel.com. All members will be limited to a maximum purchase of two show tickets or one hotel/ticket package (package options include either two or four tickets).

METALLICA explained in a statement: "As hard as it is to believe, the band will be turning the big 4 – 0 this October. It's a wild thing to wrap our heads around… it feels like just yesterday that we were hitting the stage playing our first show at Radio City in Anaheim, CA, in the spring of 1982! Okay, fair enough maybe that wasn't just yesterday; so many things have happened since Lars [Ulrich] and James [Hetfield] got together in the fall of '81… almost 2,000 live shows across seven continents, mind-blowing successes and crazy off-road adventures. It's been a nutty ride and even though most of the time it feels like we're just getting started, we're excited to celebrate the past four decades with you. What better way to mark this milestone than to invite the worldwide METALLICA Family to join us in our hometown of San Francisco, CA, where we will be performing two different live sets at Chase Center on December 17 and 19 for Fifth Members only!!

"We were so in awe of the love, support, and dedication that came our way during the 'S&M²' concerts when fans from over 60 countries around the globe traveled to the City by the Bay for the weekend in September of 2019. You guys completely took over San Francisco and the unbelievably good vibes and sense of family inspired us to invite all of you to come back! In addition to our two shows at Chase Center, we will be curating other live music and comedy events, Blackened Whiskey tastings, and so much more all around the city during the long four-day weekend of celebrations starting on Thursday, December 16. Details and ticketing information for these various events will be announced as they are confirmed.

"So… we bet you want to know how to get tickets, don't you? Tickets will be available only to registered Fifth Members and, in an effort to make it as fair as possible for every member who would like to attend, members are invited to enter to win a reservation code that will guarantee them the opportunity to purchase tickets in a private sale closed to the public. Reservation winners will be chosen randomly and e-mailed additional information and directions to proceed with their purchase.

"Winners will have the option to choose from two-day tickets to gain entry to both METALLICA shows at Chase Center or single-day tickets for the show on either December 17 or December 19. Travel packages that include both tickets and hotel accommodations will also be available courtesy of MetallicaTravel.com. All members will be limited to a maximum purchase of two show tickets or one hotel/ticket package (package options include either two or four tickets).

"We will have so much more to tell you about in the coming months, but for now, we hope that you'll open those calendars and make plans to come hang with us for one unforgettable long weekend in San Francisco.

"A word about COVID-19: We do not know what local ordinances regarding vaccine and/or testing status will be in December of 2021. Because these rules and guidelines are ever evolving, we will update Metallica.com and send all ticket buyers an update 30 days in advance of the shows as to what will be required, if anything, for entry into the show. However in the meantime, we strongly recommend that you get fully vaccinated prior to the concert date as this will be the best way to keep everyone safe and healthy and to keep this show on the road! Visit Vaccines.gov for more information or to book your appointment. Our friends outside the U.S. should consult with their local pharmacy or government website.

"Stay safe and we will see you in December in San Francisco!"

Formed in 1981 by drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, METALLICA has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, having sold nearly 120 million albums worldwide and generating more than 2.5 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on literally all seven continents. The band's several multi-platinum albums include "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets", "… And Justice For All", "Metallica" (commonly referred to as The Black Album),"Load", "Reload", "St. Anger", "Death Magnetic" and "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", released in November 2016 and charting at No. 1 in 32 countries.

METALLICA's awards and accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, and its 2009 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. In June of 2018, the band was awarded one of the most prestigious musical honors in the world: Sweden's Polar Music Prize. METALLICA's newest release, the "S&M²" album and film, arrived last August on the band's own Blackened Recordings label. "S&M²" chronicles METALLICA and San Francisco Symphony's September 6 and September 8, 2019 "S&M²" concerts that served as the grand opening of San Francisco's Chase Center and reunited the band and Symphony for the first time in 20 years. "S&M²" brings those historic shows back to life, capturing more than two and a half hours of James, Lars, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo joining forces with the nearly 80-strong San Francisco Symphony, legendary music director of the orchestra Michael Tilson Thomas and conductor Edwin Outwater.