Legendary heavy metal rockers, Metallica, joined forces with their hometown baseball team, the San Francisco Giants, for the fourth annual Metallica Night at AT&T Park this past Friday. Prior to the Giants vs. Colorado Rockies game, frontman James Hetfield and lead guitarist Kirk Hammett played the “The Star Spangled Banner.” Drummer Lars Ulrich then threw out the first pitch. Later on in the evening, Hetfield sang “Happy Birthday” to Giants legend Willie Mays while bassist Robert Trujillo held up a Willie Mays sign.
Speaking to MLB.com, Hammett explained how honored the band is to partake in the event.
“It’s amazing, you know. As a hometown kid, being able to hang out with my hometown kid, I mean, it’s epic, you know. It brings me back to when I was a little kid and I used to go see the Giants at Kezar Stadium in Candlestick Park and whatnot. Willie Mays is here. I used to idolize Willie Mays when I was in fourth and fifth grade like all my other friends did. It’s just a really, really cool thing. I totally enjoy it. I mean, it’s wonderful.
“My family loves it too, and it’s just a great, great thing. And James and I, our rendition of the national anthem, I really feel, is really unique and different, and it’s great that we can come here and play our version for our home team and our hometown audience, and it’s really, really great.”
Special event tickets for this game first went on sale as part of Orange and Black Friday, November 27th. The Metallica package included a ticket to the game and a limited edition Metallica/Giants goodie. A portion of the proceeds from every Metallica Day special event ticket went towards the Surfrider Foundation and Amnesty International.
The Giants won the game 6–4.
“Come there and celebrate all things Metallica, music and baseball.” — james hetfield, via MLB.com’s promotional video
Hetfield & Hammett “Star Spangled Banner”
Hetfield sings Happy Birthday to Willie Mays:
*all photos via Metallica.com
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