Metallica announce 30th anniversary shows

James Hetfield and co will be playing this year for as low as six bucks. That doesn't even buy a set of guitar strings! © Robert Wagenhoffer/Corbis

Metallica turn 30 this year - yes, believe it - and they're celebrating the anniversary their way: the band will play four special concerts in San Francisco at the historic Fillmore on 5, 7, 9 and 10 December.

These unique shows will include special guests and events, rare songs, varied set lists, odds and ends - basically, anything and everything to send Metallica fans into utter metal bliss.

Even better are the super-low ticket prices. According to the band's website, fans can "participate in the entire week of festivities with special four pack tickets (one ticket for each of the four shows) and automatic entry into the contests for various other special events, available for the clever price of $19.81 (get it??).

"If you can't join us for the full week, we'll have individual show tickets too and as you can see we're going back to early '80s ticket pricing (but not the hair!). Single show tickets will be just $6.00 each. Both four packs and individual show tickets will be available for Fan Club members only through a reservation system and we do have to add facility fees, blah, blah."

Of course, there's the catch: you have to join the Met Club before you have a shot at buying tickets. On the other hand, $45 isn't so bad if you do indeed get into one or all of these special shows (bear in mind the 'reservation system').

For more information on the week's festivities and ticketing info, click on the Metallica website. And check back with us next week... we'll be having our own salute to Metallica with a feature you won't want to miss.

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.