Join us backstage with Metallica as our man Eddie Rowley gets a taste of what's coming to Dublin's Aviva
Our showbiz reporter meets metal icons as Irish fans clamour for tickets to double date
It once belonged to former Skid Row and Thin Lizzy guitarist, the late Gary Moore, who was forced to sell it when he was down on his luck financially.
Gary had bought it from its first famous owner, British musician Peter Green, who used it during his time in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Fleetwood Mac.
'Greeny', a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard named after Green, is now one of the most recognisable guitars on the face of the earth.
The band will play two different sets over two nights with different support acts too
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When I joined Metallica's M72 World Tour in Philadelphia last weekend, guitar god Hammett told us at a sideline event: 'It's funny, I had nothing to do with the fanbase this guitar has and it's a huge fanbase.
'When I acquired this guitar the fanbase even swelled exponentially because people learned about the other players who owned this guitar, so I feel like I'm furthering a legacy.
'A lot of the time people come up to me who are not Metallica fans but who love Greeny and they want to take a picture with her. It's the first time I owned a guitar that already had a fan club before I had it.'
I watched Kirk in action with 'Greeny' over two nights at 'The Linc' stadium, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, where Metallica thrilled their own fans with incendiary performances in spectacular shows that will play Dublin's Aviva Stadium next June.
Eddie with Metallica tour chief Jon-Michael Marino
Tickets cover two concerts, with the world's greatest heavy metal band playing a completely different set list each night and with two new support acts on the second bill.
As Metallica tour chief Jon-Michael Marino took the Sunday World inside the world of the legendary band hours before the show, I got the thrill of stepping up on to the stage where they'd perform to 67,000 fans that night.
The sprawling, breath-taking stage is 'in the round' with eight gigantic towers hosting video screens and a colossal sound system that ensures even fans sitting in the gods have the best possible experience.
Earlier, on my way in, I had strolled past 87 monster trucks that ferry in the stage and production.
'We have a crew of 350 people, so it's a travelling village. The production is incredible, but the live energy in the Metallica concert is really second to none,' Jon pointed out.
'It doesn't matter if you're seeing the band for the first time or if you are some of the die-hard fans I know personally who have seen 250 shows, it's the energy and the sense of community you have when you have 40,000 to 80,000 Metallica fans gathered in one space that's pretty special… the goosebumps that you get don't really go away.
Eddie Rowley with one of the Metallica guitars
'The shows have only got better somehow over 44 years. They're not getting slower, they're not getting softer, it's not a greatest hits lap around the world. They are still creating new music and I expect that they'll continue to do so.'
Over the two nights in Philadelphia, Metallica unleashed a barrage of their most celebrated and revered songs from their impressive arsenal with manic drumming from skinsman Lars driving the full-on, power-packed performance.
James Hetfield's voice is a force of nature and he looks like he's in the best shape of his life these days — having struggled with alcohol abuse in the past — as he prowls the stage mesmerising us with his guitar work and vocal delivery.
'Music saves my life every day, I hope you feel the same,' Hetfield told us at the first show.
On the second night he addressed the issue of suicide, urging people to seek help. 'I know darkness, I know everyone here knows darkness, and we don't know how hard it needs to get to go there [suicide],' James says. 'But that permanent solution to a temporary problem is not worth it. I say talk, talk that sh*t out, get that sh*t out… that's not why you're here. You are here to be loved and cherished, so talk to your friends.'
Eddie Rowley with the Metallica drum kit
Superfan Brian Thomas from Raleigh, North Carolina, has been to 46 Metallica shows. 'It's going to hit 50 in Tampa in a couple of weeks and I'm really looking hard at coming to Dublin,' he tells me.
'You can't go to a sporting event in the United States without hearing a Metallica song because it's high energy, excellent music, amps the crowd up and everybody's feeling good when they hear it.'
Metallica's M72 World Tour will play Dublin's Aviva Stadium on June 19 and 21, 2026. Two-night tickets are now on sale. For further information, enhanced experiences, travel packages and more, go to metallica.lnk.to/M72WorldTour2026
James Hetfield and Metallica will bring their explosive show to the Aviva next year
News in 90 Seconds - 3rd June 2025
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