May 7, 2025: Metallica rocks Blacksburg with unforgettable performance

BLACKSBURG – It's the evening Hokie Nation will never forget. 

After over two decades of jumping along to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” at Virginia Tech football games, over 66,000 fans in Lane Stadium were treated to an undeniably epic hours-long concert on this day one year ago. The band’s stop in Blacksburg was one of many during the M72 World Tour that has continued for over three years alongside 72 Seasons, Metallica’s most recent record. 

For many Hokie fans, Virginia Tech and Metallica coexist within the same thought. Memories of the band’s most historic tracks booming through the speakers are interwoven with memories of time spent in southwest Virginia. To hear “Enter Sandman” in its unfiltered, live form served as the culmination of fervent energy and passion Tech fans have displayed for over a quarter-century. 

From its inception alongside an updated Lane Stadium videoboard on Aug. 27, 2000, “Enter Sandman” and Metallica have served as the soundtrack for Virginia Tech. One year post-concert, it’s evident that fans will keep jumping as the 2026 football season slowly comes into picture.  

Metallica’s epic night in southwest Virginia started long before the heavy metal rockers took to the stage. A week prior to the electrifying performance, setup began inside Lane Stadium, transforming the once-grassy terrain into a space large enough to hold what would be a raucous floor audience.  

The crown jewel of the illustrious set-up? Eight larger-than-life stanchions, adorned with video boards around their peaks. The octet of cylindrical video boards pierced the Blacksburg sky this past May, displaying an array of video shots from the stage and the audience throughout the performance. 

Excitement was palpable when the concert evening finally arrived in Blacksburg. After a week of nervous anticipation, fans were finally able to experience the energy and excitement Metallica provides to audiences on a global scale right in southwest Virginia. Prior to the band’s appearance, a pair of opening acts – Suicidal Tendencies and Pantera – gave the Blacksburg audience a jolt of exhilaration before lead singer James Hetfield and his Metallica counterparts took the stage.  

And then, after two-plus decades of jumping to recordings of Metallica, the moment finally came. 

Metallica began their performance as they do in every live show, taking the stage to rock band AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘N’ Roll)” and Ennio Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold” from the Western classic The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The tradition of taking the stage to the latter track has lasted nearly as long as the band has been performing in front of live audiences, dating back over 40 years to 1983. 

Soon after, however, the melodic nature of Morricone’s classic tune was abruptly silenced in replacement of the melody Tech fans are all too familiar with. The iconic introductory riffs to “Enter Sandman” echoed through Lane Stadium, teasing fans with what was to come at night’s end. At the brink of the song’s chorus, however, Hetfield and company reversed the script in favor of the crashing drums and rip-roaring guitar of “Creeping Death,” the first of 15 tunes from the evening. The stanchions illuminated alongside a flurry of concert lights that brightened the Blacksburg night sky, washing the audience in deep blues, reds, greens, and yellows that were mainstays throughout the entire performance.  

14 songs followed – not including Hetfield and fellow bassist Robert Trujillo’s creative exchange of guitar riffs halfway through the performance – that explored the Grammy-winning band’s discography, including hit tracks such as “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “One.” A cacophony of screaming fans belted along to each of the band’s tracks, demonstrating not only a love for Metallica, but a love for all things Virginia Tech. 

The moment fans had all been waiting for finally arrived on May 7, 2025. After a pump-fake that led fans to believe the show was concluding, Hetfield began to lead the sold-out audience in an all-too-familiar exchanging of “Let’s Go!” and “Hokies,” a chant Lane Stadium often erupts in before kickoff on gamedays. 

What happened next was nothing short of history. Live in Blacksburg - for the first time in Virginia Tech history - “Enter Sandman” was played. It was a moment that Tech fans will remember for the rest of their lives, the moment quickly ascending into the lore of Hokie fandom forever. The moment was so impactful, in fact, that the synchronized jumping to the legendary track was significant enough to register on the seismogram at the Virginia Tech Seismological Observatory.  

Earthquake activity. From a single moment, a single song and a single community interacting together. It was the night cap to end all night caps. 

As the 2026 football season inches ever closer to its start in September, it’s safe to say the same excitement felt on May 7, 2025, will be felt in Lane Stadium this fall. Under the direction of head coach James Franklin and an elite supporting cast of vocal leaders, the Virginia Tech football team will take the field with amplified pride and excitement for the fans in Lane Stadium.  

Looking to feel that excitement for yourself? Don’t miss out on the chance to buy tickets in various packages for the 2026 football season. Secure your tickets today and be a part of history in Franklin’s first season at the helm!