The ESP Guitar Company

There are few events in the rock world bigger than a Metallica show, and the Bay Area-based legends of thrash metal are about to hit the road in support of their popular and critically acclaimed album Hardwired... To Self-Destruct. While the band has already been out on the road doing some one-off and warm-up shows, the big portion of the WorldWired Tour starts next month in Mexico and South America, and then the North America leg of the tour starts in May.

It’s Metallica’s first world tour in six years (and their first extended tour of the US and Canada since 2009), and it’s highly likely that every single show is going to be sold out. If you’re lucky enough to get tickets, expect to see an array of ESP models being played by both James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett. James has been turning more and more to his ESP Vulture, and it’s a good bet you’ll also see him using his ESP Snakebyte and ESP Iron Cross on this tour. Kirk likes to select between dozens of ESP guitars he takes on the road, often relying on his ESP Custom Shop models including the Nosferatu, the White Zombie, the KH-2, his famous Ouija and Mummy guitars, and the new Demonology.

James Hetfield Signature Series ESP Vulture. Also available as the LTD Vulture.

ESP James Hetfield Signature Series Snakebyte. Also available as the LTD Snakebyte. Also offered in Black Satin finish. 

LTD Kirk Hammett Signature Series KH-WZ.

LTD Kirk Hammett Signature Series Demonology, just introduced in January 2017.

A word of advice: don’t blow off the opening bands! Among them will be Volbeat, the Danish metal band that includes ESP player Rob Caggiano.

Below are the tour dates that are current as of now. For the most up-to-date tour info and to purchase tickets, please visit the Metallica site.

Mar 01 Mexico City (Foro Sol)
Mar 03 Mexico City (Foro Sol)
Mar 05 Mexico City (Foro Sol)
Mar 25 Sao Paulo (Lollapalooza/Interlagos Racetrack)
Mar 31 Buenos Aires (Lollapalooza/Hippodrome San Isidro)

Apr 01 Santiago (Lollapalooza/Parque O’Higgins)

May 10 Baltimore, MD (M&T Bank Stadium)
May 12 Philadelphia, PA (Lincoln Financial Field)
May 14 East Rutherfords, NJ (Metlife Stadium)
May 17 Uniondale, NY (The New Coliseum)
May 19 Foxborough, MA (Gillette Stadium)
May 21 Columbus, OH (Rock On the Range/Mapfre Stadium)

Jun 04 St. Louis, MO (Busch Stadium)
Jun 07 Denver, CO (Sports Authority Field at Mile High)
Jun 11 Houston, TX (NRG Stadium)
Jun 14 San Antonio, TX (Alamodome)
Jun 16 Dallas, TX (AT&T Stadium)
Jun 18 Chicago, IL (Soldier Field)

Jul 05 Orlando, FL (Camping World Stadium)
Jul 07 Miami, FL (Hard Rock Stadium)
Jul 09 Atlanta, GA (Suntrust Park)
Jul 12 Detroit, MI (Comerica Park)
Jul 14 Quebec City, QC (Festival D’été de Québec)
Jul 16 Toronto, ON (Rogers Centre)
Jul 19 Montreal, QC (Parc Jean-Drapeau)
Jul 29 Los Angeles (Rose Bowl)

Aug 04 Phoenix, AZ (University of Phoenix Stadium)
Aug 06 San Diego, CA (Petco Park)
Aug 07 San Francisco, CA (AT&T Park)
Aug 09 Seattle, WA (CenturyLink Field)
Aug 14 Vancouver, BC (BC Place)
Aug 16 Edmonton, AB (Commonwealth Stadium)

Sep 02 Copenhagen (Royal Arena)