Metallica wants fans to do something before the shows start, give blood or plasma.
Ahead of gigs in Glasgow, Cardiff and London, the band is partnering with UK blood services to encourage donations. Metallica is working with NHS Blood and Transplant in England, the Welsh Blood Service and the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.
The campaign extends work by the band’s charity, All Within My Hands, and aims to raise awareness of the ongoing need for blood donations.
Blood and plasma have a shelf life of only 35 days. Donations support trauma victims, cancer patients, new mothers and people living with long-term conditions. Each donation can potentially save up to three lives.
“Wherever we go on tour, we want to give something meaningful back to the communities that welcome us,” a representative for Metallica said, according to Euronews.
“We’ve seen in the United States and Australia how working with blood services can help raise awareness of blood donation and support patients, and we’re excited to bring that same approach to the UK.”
“As we close out the European leg of the ‘M72 World Tour’ in the UK, we’re asking fans to step up and be part of something bigger than the show. Looking out for one another and supporting those who rely on donated blood every day is a simple act that can make a powerful difference.”
Alan Prosser, spokesperson for the Welsh Blood Service, said: “This is a truly unique moment for blood donation across the UK. Partnering with a band of Metallica’s global reach allows us to connect with new audiences and shine a spotlight on the ongoing need for blood.”
He added: “Just as metal music runs strongly through Metallica fans’ veins, so does the blood which gives the power to save up to three lives with every donation. Donation is always voluntary and unpaid in the UK, so every person who chooses to give makes a real difference to patients and families in need. We’re proud to be part of a collaboration that brings people together to save lives.”
Metallica will play Hampden Park in Glasgow on 25 June, Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 28 June, and London Stadium on 3 July and 5 July.
After the tour, the band will begin a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere from October 2026 to March 2027.
In a statement about the residency, Metallica co-founder and drummer Lars Ulrich said: “This residency gives us another chance to reinvent how we interact with our fans in a live setting. We are beyond excited to share this with the world in six months time, and way fuckin’ psyched to go next-level!”
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