Metallica Launch Their Own Festival

Metallica have announced their very own festival, "Orion Music + More", which will take place in Atlantic City, New Jersey from June 23-24.

Fans of the band can look forward to headline performances of the "Black Album" and "Ride The Lightning". It will be the only opportunity to see these albums performed in full in North America, though European fans will get a similar opportunity as various festivals including Download.

The event will be managed by C3 Presents, the team behind Lollapalooza, to make sure the event goes off without a hitch.

Unusually, the lineup is not as heavy as you might expect. Indie rock acts will take prominence at Orion, with acts including Arctic Monkeys, Modest Mouse, Best Coast, F--ked Up, The Gaslight Anthem and Hot Snakes, according to Stereogum. Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold.

"We’ve had the idea of doing our own lifestyle festival with lots of diverse music and fun and games for years," drummer Lars Ulrich said (via Gibson). "Finally this year all the practical ducks lined up in a row, and we are beyond psyched to bring Orion to our fans, friends and the curious."

Ulrich went on to say that December was one of the most incredible months ever for Metallica. The band celebrated their 30th anniversary at the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, where they performed with old friends and their heroes on stage.

Comments

[pwrmax]

Yay, Ride the Lightning!

[tntero]

Fuck yeah! Good initiative, also, its good to know that just because its a festival "by Metallica" it is not closed in the "Heavy Music World" The Arctic Monkeys are amazing!

[thenextkirk92]

Combining thrash with indie? Interesting...

[z3dy]

trolling incoming

[Lordi71]

well with that line up, this fan would rather boil his own head in a vat of stale piss...

[Prostheta]

Excellent. This means Metallica can **** off to their own festival and leave ours well alone for once.

[bustapr]

I hope they play My Friend Of Misery this time. festival sounds like itll be good. Maybe theyll even play a new song

[zgr0826]

I wish this wasn't in Atlantic City, otherwise I'd go in a heartbeat.

[mop10893]

I am extremely excited about this. My two favorite metal bands are Metallica and A7X. I was always thinking of ways they could play together. And a lot of the other bands are pretty awesome. I also like how they're gonna have comedy. Top it off with Ride and the Black Album, and this is a must see for me.

[mop10893]

I also have to say that I'm surprised about the support for this on here so far. Either people really wanna see it, or the ungrateful fans aren't awake yet.

[Korpi]

i grew up with metallica,avenged sevenfold always made good music for games i played,it was well mixed childhood. So im up for this.

[gasp_alex]

"Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold"
Although I love a7x, I Lol'ed at this

[MetalMullet]

bustapr wrote:

I hope they play My Friend Of Misery this time. festival sounds like itll be good. Maybe theyll even play a new song

My Friend of Misery is not included. They will play the whole Black Album in it's ENTIRETY, all songs for the first time. Except My Friend of Misery...

...

[kisiel35]

gasp_alex wrote:

"Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold"
Although I love a7x, I Lol'ed at this

this x 99999. They even stated themselves that they aren't metal in any way. Some influences are hearable, but this isn't "it".

[Noob_Brood]

Compared to Modest Mouse....Avenged is like super hardcore.

[shikkaka]

Not interested.

[troyofyort]

I'm very surprised with the Gaslight Anthem, they kick ass, I so wish I could go to this!

[Yasaki]

Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold. LOL! Nuff said

[deadlydictator]

Gah, pass.

[metalbutterfly]

WOOO Gathering of the Metallicos!

[L2112Lif]

Do practical ducks like to play jokes?

Lars, I believe the word your looking for is 'proverbial'.

[smittyanthrax]

I bet it was Lars,s idea.Hes the brain behind the name.

[SOAD_SoG]

smittyanthrax wrote:

I bet it was Lars,s idea.Hes the brain behind the name.

If it involves making money, You bet he was the one with the idea.

[BenjaminFields]

Wow. This is a pretty decent lineup. Kudos, Metallica. Gotta say, though; gonna be awkward w/ all the Modest Mouse fans walking around metal heads.

Let the music bring us together!

[Rob E]

I am shocked that there's been so few bashing comments about this...guess when i come back here tomorrow the scene will be quite different.

[ThrasherLV]

Just yesterday I was sitting on a toilet pod, and an idea that Metallica can organize their own fest came to my mind

[jurnag12]

I'll just wait for the inevitable DVD release.

[js81221]

Pretty cool, how I watched this live when it came out.

[DeadlyKombat]

maybe if the tickets weren't so expensive, on top of the trip to Jersey I would have to make. Dammit.

[ne14t]

No offense to the people that like the bands playing with Metallica but as a thrash enthusiast who would love to see Metallica do Ride the Lightning live. There is no way in hell I would pay to see them with those bands, just not my cup of tea. One of my favorite bands as a kid is starting to sway more and more to the ways of KISS

[FlyinVJs30RR]

I`ll just download the show lol

[Aqua Dementia]

Tempted to go, but only for Modest Mouse and Best Coast so far..

[smittyanthrax]

Korpi wrote:

i grew up with metallica,avenged sevenfold always made good music for games i played,it was well mixed childhood. So im up for this.

What the hell are you talking about?

[alestorm666]

Sounds pretty good. Another band on there should be Taking Dawn, they are really good.

[iommi600]

I'm not really into most of the bands that will be playing on this festival. I like The Sword and a few ones from Trivium, though.

[jordo246]

If you watch the interview about this Lars says it's about checking things out about bands you probably don't listen to or know, hence the line up.

[ptrnsntofpwn]

cant wait to the article about lars beating a fan for filming the concert and "stealing his music"

[Chronologo]

jordo246 wrote:

If you watch the interview about this Lars says it's about checking things out about bands you probably don't listen to or know, hence the line up.

If you understand the interview is all about $$$$. Some good bands there but I don't know how the mixture of crowds will work.

[VoodooMaster]

Orion...

Black Album... And Ride the Lightning...

No Master Of Puppets..?

[Szef_Mtp]

"Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold."
lol

[Trent Armitage]

Yes, another event to get me out of my parents basement!!

[iceh88]

it is kind of sad that in an interview yesterday metallica said they will have alot of other stuff going on at the festival in case the audience doesn't want to listen to the music. this is otherwise known as (we picked bands that dont play the same style of music so we will give our fans other stuff to do until we play). I dont know about this. It seems weird to have these indie rock bands opening for one of the biggest metal bands of all time. Im not knocking any of the other bands but it just doesnt fit with the show. iam betting most of the audience wont be showing up and or paying attention until A7X takes the stage.

[jordo246]

Chronologo wrote:

jordo246 wrote:

If you watch the interview about this Lars says it's about checking things out about bands you probably don't listen to or know, hence the line up.

If you understand the interview is all about $$$$. Some good bands there but I don't know how the mixture of crowds will work.

Are you in Metallica? Nope, so don't tell me what it's about.

[mrozzy123fest]

ride the lightning is my fav album! of all time

[indyrock91]

gasp_alex wrote:

"Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold"
Although I love a7x, I Lol'ed at this

Because A7X isn't heavy? I get they aren't metal but they're definitely hard rock.

[a drummer]

****ing made my day!

[Slaytan666]

Chronologo wrote:

jordo246 wrote:
If you understand the interview is all about $$$$. Some good bands there but I don't know how the mixture of crowds will work.

I have a feeling that there will be some indie fans getting trapped in the pit when Metallica comes out, and then getting trampled to the tune of "Fight fire with fire".

[PatVanHalen5150]

I could care less about any of the other bands on this list, but hearing Ride The Lightning in it's entirety is worth the price of admission alone.

[jordanzio]

it is not surprising that metallica would host their own festival and then invite nothing but indie bands. If they invited any half decent metal bands they would be upstaged all day long.

[FrauVfromPoB]

Fucked Up are an amazing band. It's cool that they'll be on a Metallica-based festival.

[Iommianity]

I'd give an honest opinion, but this close minded and ignorant metalhead wouldn't want to offend the open minded sensibilities of everyone else.

Actually, sarcasm aside, I can't see how that bill would offend anyone. People who still expect Metallica to cater to their metal needs must have missed the 90s, or the open invitation for them to further explore the genre, where I assure you, most people haven't been waiting for Metallica.

It seems like those kinds of bands are fine for the crowd Metallica draws across the board. Maybe not the hardcore thrash fans, but why they're living or dying by what Metallica does in 2012, I'll never know.

[Mikethespud]

I hope they get Anthrax and Testament in there, as they're touring at the minute, and there aren't many thrash bands there

[rhs5110]

It'd be cool to see ride the lightning and some other classic stuff by metallica but seriously that lineup sucks

[redisni]

Rob E wrote:

I am shocked that there's been so few bashing comments about this...guess when i come back here tomorrow the scene will be quite different.

I read about this yesterday, and I came here just to read the bashing. I'm actually quited surprised to see there are barely any.

[engineno9]

Being on the west coast, it sucks that this event is all the way on the other side of the continent.



As opposed to being on another continent entirely.

[ffaf_kick_ass]

Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold.

as soon as i read this i thought cringe the a7x haters will love this but its not been too bad so far! on a technicality UG have got this right they are one of the heavier acts but like a typical UG news title it can easily be misinterpreted!

[Biggilton]

Orion is a cool name, but I still think Fest-Tallica sounds cooler.

[Splinter2101]

you ****in idiots...HEAVIER ACTS...Meaning heavier than the other performing bands at the festival.....

[Slaytan666]

Biggilton wrote:

Orion is a cool name, but I still think Fest-Tallica sounds cooler.

How about "Metalli-fest"? Or "Ride the Festival"? Maybe "Larsapalooza"

[gbrooks2]

Modest Mouse, Metallica, Avenged and Arctic Monkeys are four of my favorite acts! How sick would it be if Alice in Chains was on this bill?

[iup788]

gbrooks2 wrote:

Modest Mouse, Metallica, Avenged and Arctic Monkeys are four of my favorite acts! How sick would it be if Alice in Chains was on this bill?

It wouldn't be crazy. Who knows, maybe it'll happen.

[Metal-pro]

I was really happy when I saw this :I

[Pan-Tallica]

Checked.

[tonello]

Sounds like a blast. I wanna go.

[qwertyag]

The Black Album sucks... Why not Master of Puppets?

[Benjumanji]

"and the curious."

lolwut?

[RockinZiemak19]

Fuck yes! Metallica is finally going to play "Escape"!

[DavyG707]

Very strange, the line up is, I reckon just a metal line up would be better like Sabbath, Motorhead that kinda thing. (that is if sabbath plan goes ahead)

[BigMacDT]

Metallica playing Ride the Lightning and the Black Album, AND Modest Mouse and Arctic Monkeys? Awesome.

[mallen i am]

wouldn't call Fucked Up indie ahahhaha

[mack attack]

Just so a festival will actually let them play.

[Private Eye]

troyofyort wrote:

I'm very surprised with the Gaslight Anthem, they kick ass, I so wish I could go to this!

While it's an odd choice given that it's Metallica's festival, it is in New Jersey, Gaslight's home state, and they're a huge draw in the area. Great band at any rate.

[bugginwombat]

So why in Jersey?

[CaliforniaKid]

bugginwombat wrote:

So why in Jersey?

Yes... why. I wasn't aware that Metallica had their own "lifestyle". Shouldn't they be on a "Golden Oldies" tour somewhere?

[Sparda93]

Heavier acts include A7X, yeah, right, heavy?

[goldenManticore]

I hope Lou Reed is there...
#TheySeeMeTrollin'

[motorizer]

Great, Some more crap about Metallica ...

(Clapping Hands) Yay ..

[sickassfoo]

wont be going, i didnt like them but my girlfriend has conviced me to not like them even more

[)v(egaFan90]

Really? Atlantic City? Why not somewhere in Virginia?

[Wickedsteak]

Indie? Ugh.. I really don't see a link between Metallica and indie, but okay.. If they wanna waste their money with a music festival full of crap, more power to them.

[Radz117]

Megalomania

[Chronologo]

jordo246 wrote:

Chronologo wrote:

jordo246 wrote:

If you watch the interview about this Lars says it's about checking things out about bands you probably don't listen to or know, hence the line up.

If you understand the interview is all about $$$$. Some good bands there but I don't know how the mixture of crowds will work.

Are you in Metallica? Nope, so don't tell me what it's about.

Using your logic I can't express opinion on many topics because I don't belong to that or went through something?? Did it hurt you? Sorry but if you can't see what everybody knows is your problem.

[gibsongalore184]

Not to mention Cage the Elephant will be there

[guitgrinder]

MetalMullet wrote:

bustapr wrote:

I hope they play My Friend Of Misery this time. festival sounds like itll be good. Maybe theyll even play a new song

My Friend of Misery is not included. They will play the whole Black Album in it's ENTIRETY, all songs for the first time. Except My Friend of Misery...

...

How are you so sure they won't play MFoM?

[Kueller917]

I don't think the line-up is fitting, but I do like a few of the bands there, I don't see why everyone assumes it's terrible.
As for the A7X comment, they said "heavier", as in "heavier" compared to the other bands appearing.

[swave75]

Very cool idea.

[SmittyMan90]

Interested to see how this turns out

[SmittyMan90]

smittyanthrax wrote:

I bet it was Lars,s idea.Hes the brain behind the name.

or more like his friend back in the day who wanted to start a magazine called Metallica.

[godisasniper]

guitgrinder wrote:

MetalMullet wrote:

bustapr wrote:

I hope they play My Friend Of Misery this time. festival sounds like itll be good. Maybe theyll even play a new song

My Friend of Misery is not included. They will play the whole Black Album in it's ENTIRETY, all songs for the first time. Except My Friend of Misery...

...


How are you so sure they won't play MFoM?

Clearly you understand sarcasm. Or not. AH I'M SO CONFUSED are you also trolling or legitimately confused by MetalMullet's trolling?

[lukeness]

Fucked Up is pretty heavy, more than avenged sevenfold I'd say

[jonathanb2]

I was actually considering travelling to see this... but with that lineup, noooo ****ing way man.

[Vicryl 2.0]

put Red Fang and Monstro on the bill too.

[mrrman]

Whats with this stupid headshot of the band...whenever I see them posted somewhere, its always the same stupid pic

[hereticfive]

bands do what they want to do and people cry about it. Thats the internet generation.

[phantom_lord586]

kisiel35 wrote:

gasp_alex wrote:

"Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold"
Although I love a7x, I Lol'ed at this

this x 99999. They even stated themselves that they aren't metal in any way. Some influences are hearable, but this isn't "it".

Compare them to real metal bands like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden and they are definately heavy enough to be considered metal, their tone is even heavier than those bands. Just because they don't scream or drop tune to dropped A or B doesn't mean they aren't metal.

People call them hard rock, but if you compare them to bands like AC/DC, The Cult and Guns N' Roses its a pretty bad comparison.

Even listen to Judas Priest they weren't that heavy and neither was Deep Purple, or Led Zeppelin and they were considered heavy metal back in the 70s.

[smittyanthrax]

SmittyMan90 wrote:

smittyanthrax wrote:

I bet it was Lars,s idea.Hes the brain behind the name.

or more like his friend back in the day who wanted to start a magazine called Metallica.

[Sigh]You obviously didnt understand my comment.I didnt mean lars thought the name up i obviously meant lars is the brain of the band when it comes to money making.

[repoman2112]

Of course they are.

[Scary Guy]

You are all DUMBASSES. Watch the ****ing interview and they said it is in memory of Cliff hence the name and probably a big influence on the lineup(diversity)

[DaniArrow]

boring

[m4ss3 m/]

Tbh, not interested. Never been a Metallica fan. Haven't even heard any of their albums in their entirety beside St Anger.

[MonsterOfRock]

Anyone who is still tying Metallica into only Thrash Metal is absolutely delusional. Not after AJFA, no. They've ventured into many places, and even if DM was a way back to the roots, this shows their true character that they weren't doing DM to win back Thrash fans. If this was a Metal only festival, I'd have a problem with it, because Metallica is more than Metal. So this is indeed their honest idea.

The idea of 'genre' pisses me off. Since when are we supposed to enjoy art in a conservative pattern? If you are like that, then you are a contradiction to the idea of artistic music. Therefore, me as a musician, absolutely pity you and don't give a crap what you say

[metallicafréak]

m4ss3 m/ wrote:

Tbh, not interested. Never been a Metallica fan. Haven't even heard any of their albums in their entirety beside St Anger.

That might be the problem, try listening to an other album. :P

[sottpwn]

Aaah what I'd pay to see Ride the Lightning.

[Skuzzmo]

phantom_lord586 wrote:

kisiel35 wrote:

gasp_alex wrote:

"Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold"
Although I love a7x, I Lol'ed at this

this x 99999. They even stated themselves that they aren't metal in any way. Some influences are hearable, but this isn't "it".

Compare them to real metal bands like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden and they are definately heavy enough to be considered metal, their tone is even heavier than those bands. Just because they don't scream or drop tune to dropped A or B doesn't mean they aren't metal.

People call them hard rock, but if you compare them to bands like AC/DC, The Cult and Guns N' Roses its a pretty bad comparison.

Even listen to Judas Priest they weren't that heavy and neither was Deep Purple, or Led Zeppelin and they were considered heavy metal back in the 70s.

Priest are awesome though!

[guitgrinder]

godisasniper wrote:

guitgrinder wrote:

MetalMullet wrote:

bustapr wrote:

I hope they play My Friend Of Misery this time. festival sounds like itll be good. Maybe theyll even play a new song

My Friend of Misery is not included. They will play the whole Black Album in it's ENTIRETY, all songs for the first time. Except My Friend of Misery...

...


How are you so sure they won't play MFoM?Clearly you understand sarcasm. Or not. AH I'M SO CONFUSED are you also trolling or legitimately confused by MetalMullet's trolling?

Ah. My sarcasm detector was turned off. These aren't the droids I was looking for. Move along.

[Rattlehead2]

Stupid lineup.

[slaveskinJACKET]

phantom_lord586 wrote:

kisiel35 wrote:

gasp_alex wrote:

"Heavier acts include Avenged Sevenfold"
Although I love a7x, I Lol'ed at this

this x 99999. They even stated themselves that they aren't metal in any way. Some influences are hearable, but this isn't "it".

Compare them to real metal bands like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden and they are definately heavy enough to be considered metal, their tone is even heavier than those bands. Just because they don't scream or drop tune to dropped A or B doesn't mean they aren't metal.

People call them hard rock, but if you compare them to bands like AC/DC, The Cult and Guns N' Roses its a pretty bad comparison.

Even listen to Judas Priest they weren't that heavy and neither was Deep Purple, or Led Zeppelin and they were considered heavy metal back in the 70s.

There's no point in arguing. I agree with you, but exclusive metal fans are some of the most closed-minded music fans there are.

Besides, everybody knows that, if it's not the heaviest, screamiest, growliest, lowest-tuned, double-bassiest, most blasphemous (and stupid) sound you could imagine, then it's not metal.

One guy weighs 450 lbs. Another guy weighs 300 lbs.
Just because the first guy is heavy as **** doesn't mean the second guy isn't heavy. He's just not quite as heavy.

There's a difference between "a heavy metal band" and "the fücking heaviest fücking thing you could ever fücking imagine."

[bombfighter]

oh no! A heavy metal band are gonna play at a festival with non-metal openers! That's so not the metalz! Because Download and Sonisphere (among others) haven't been doing the same for the past however many years.

A lot of metal fans are turning into a right bunch of chavs (US readers may wanna look that up) in that they're following the idea music is something that is only played at a million miles and hour or they have to follow a specific dress code. Wake up and smell the roses that there is other genres out there!

[Wisthler]

Meh... I'll stick with the gigantour...

[STABxYOU]

thenextkirk92 wrote:

Combining thrash with indie? Interesting...

I'd be more interested in a band that does that then a festival.