Metallica Celebrates Local Music in Melbourne
Metallica transformed Marvel Stadium into a celebration of Melbourne's music scene during their 2025 Australian tour by covering The Living End’s iconic song Prisoner of Society. This performance highlighted their ongoing tradition of honoring local classics at each concert in Australia.
Local Tributes Throughout the Australian Tour
For the Melbourne show, Metallica paid homage to hometown legends The Living End with a powerful cover featuring Kirk Hammett on guitar and Rob Trujillo on bass and vocals. Earlier in the tour, they performed other Australian classics such as John Butler’s Zebra in Perth and The Angels’ Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again in Adelaide. Attentive fans might have caught a brief nod to INXS’ Don’t Change at the start of the Melbourne cover.
Reunion with Australian Audiences
It had been 12 years since Metallica last played in Australia. Frontman James Hetfield asked how many attendees were first-time viewers of Metallica, prompting a wave of raised hands, though most of the 40,000-strong crowd at Marvel Stadium were longtime fans.
"At one point, an image of a 1989 Festival Hall ticket flashed up on the big screens, a nod to Metallica’s first-ever Melbourne show on 4 May 1989."
Back then, Festival Hall could only hold just over 5,000 people. The current crowd was ten times that size, marking Metallica’s largest ever single-night audience in Melbourne.
Setlist Highlights
- Cover of The Living End's Prisoner of Society
- Tributes to John Butler’s Zebra and The Angels’ Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again
- Easter egg from INXS’ Don’t Change
Metallica’s ability to blend local tributes with their signature sound showcased their deep respect for Australian music culture.
Author’s Summary
Metallica’s 2025 Melbourne concert combined powerful performances with heartfelt local tributes, demonstrating their long-lasting bond with Australian music fans.