Metallica will be performing their first show of 2020 for Encore Drive-In Nights, which is a concert series involving major acts broadcasting one-night shows to drive-in theaters across North America. The show will be on August 29, and is being advertised as the first rock concert of the series.
The performance will be shot, mixed and edited beforehand by Metallica’s own production team near the band’s Northern California headquarters. Since it’s a special recording for Encore and also their first show in nearly a year, the setlist will cover material from all stages of their 39-year career. Canadian hard rock band Three Days Grace will also record a set and serve as the opening act.
Pre-sale tickets will be available on Ticketmaster on August 12 for Metallica’s Fifth Member fan club and on-sale will begin for the general public on August 14. Each ticket purchase admits one vehicle, with up to six people per car. The purchase also includes four digital downloads of Metallica’s S&M2 live album with the San Francisco Symphony. S&M2 covers the last two concerts the band performed in 2019, and documents their reunion with San Francisco Symphony 20 years after their first live album together. S&M2 officially releases to the public on August 28 via Metallica’s Blackened Recordings label.
The idea behind Encore Drive-In Nights is to provide a safe alternative to in-person concerts, so participating drive-in theaters will be required to stick to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines as well as local health mandates. Extra measures beyond the use of personal protective equipment and practice of social distancing will involve contactless payment for ticketing and limited capacity in restrooms. State governments’ guidelines decide the precautions necessary for the selling of concessions.
Fans can find the participating drive-in theater closest to them on the Ticketmaster page. Over 300 drive-in theaters have joined the Encore Live series. The only other concert the series has announced coming up is Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani and Trace Adkins on July 25.
Many other musicians have started playing drive-in shows due to COVID-19. Some that were recently announced include Dinosaur Jr., AJR, MT. Joy and The Front Bottoms and The Avett Brothers.
Also in the works, Metallica announced earlier this summer that they’re working on a new studio album via Zoom and email. If quarantine continues long enough, it could be entirely a lockdown-made album.
Photo credit: Mauricio Alvarado
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