72 Seasons Metallica show coming to MetLife Stadium: What to know

Legendary heavy metal band Metallica is coming to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford this weekend.

It's a bittersweet moment. The shows, Friday, Aug. 4, and Sunday, Aug. 6, are the first for Metallica in New Jersey since the deaths of Jonny and Marsha Zazula, whose Old Bridge-based record label, Megaforce Records, helped them become stars.

“In 1982, when no one wanted to take a chance on four kids from California playing a crazy brand of metal, Jonny and Marsha did, and the rest, as they say, is history,” said the band on social media when Jonny passed way in February 2022. “Metallica would not be who we are or where we are today without Jon Zazula and his wife, Marsha.”

Marsha passed away in January 2021 after battling cancer.

A demo tape of Metallica’s “No Life ’til Leather” found its way to the Zazulas at the Rock and Roll Heaven record store in East Brunswick, and the couple decided to invite the band to Old Bridge to record the songs on the demo for a proper album.

In turn, Rock and Roll Heaven customers became the Old Bridge Metal Militia, who served as a support group for the Megaforce metal bands in the early ’80s. The members of Metallica lived in Jersey with the Zazulas and Militia members Ray Dill and Joe Chimienti during the band’s early years.

“When we first started with the group in ’83 we envisioned this,” said Jonny of the superstardom Metallica achieved to the USA Today Network. “We knew we were dealing with a group that could potentially rival Led Zeppelin. They were destined for greatness.”

The MetLife shows will kick off the North American leg of Metallica's M72 World Tour, named after the group's new album, “72 Seasons.”

Pantera, featuring Jackson's Zakk Wylde on guitar, and Mammoth WVH, featuring Wolfgang Van Halen, open the show on Friday. Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills open Sunday. It's called a “No Repeat Weekend,” with different opening acts and two completely different setlists.

The M72 tour features a “bold” new circular stage design that relocates the famed Metallica Snake Pit to center stage, surrounded by the band.

Get there early to check out some old-school metal. Prong plays in Lot G at 3 p.m. Friday, and Overkill at the same place at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Attendees need a ticket to see the pre-show parking lot performance.

Tickets start at $90 plus fees for a single show, and go up to $1,400 for two nights in the Snake Pit through Ticketmaster.

A portion of proceeds from the shows go to Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation, which seeks to assist and enrich the lives of members of the communities who have supported the band and combat food insecurity; provides disaster relief; and bestows scholarships.

For more, check out our Everything You Need to Know below:

1 MetLife Stadium Drive, East Rutherford

Pantera and Mammoth WVH on Friday, Aug. 4; Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills on Sunday, Aug. 6.

Parking lots open: 1 p.m.

Gates open: 4:30 p.m.

Event starts: 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4, and Sunday, Aug. 6 (Rain or shine)

Parking lots open: 1 p.m.

Day of event parking cost: $40 per car; $160 per Bus/RV

Parking directions: metlifestadium.com/getting-here/directions

Rideshare: Designated rideshare (Uber, Lyft, etc.) pick-up/drop-off location is in Lot E. Rideshare surge pricing is often in effect after the event. Larger crowds will result in longer than usual wait times for a car to arrive (can be up to 1½ hour wait). Make sure your phone is charged and ready to go if you’re planning to use one of these services.

Non-rideshare pick-up/drop-off: Located on the roadway between Lots D & E. If dropping off, please return to pick-up by 10:15 p.m. to avoid exiting traffic.

NJ TRANSIT TRAIN: Trains will operate between Secaucus Junction and MetLife Stadium on the BetMGM Meadowlands Rail Line starting at 3:40 p.m. on Friday and 3:57 p.m. on Sunday. Please check njtransit.com/MetLifeStadium for complete rail timetables. After the concert, the last train from MetLife Stadium to Secaucus will not depart Meadowlands Station any earlier than 1 a.m.

COACH USA BUS: Bus service will begin at 4 p.m. from Gates 419 and 420 (41st Street between 8th and 9th avenues, New York City) at the Port Authority on the day of the show. The last departing bus from Port Authority to MetLife Stadium will leave at 6 p.m. The last bus will leave the stadium 60 minutes after the concert ends. Cost is $14 for the round trip. Visit here for more information.

Tailgating policy: Tailgating is permitted but drones, model aircraft, kites, and any other remote-controlled or tethered flying objects are not permitted. Tailgating should be limited to the lined parking space and the area directly behind or in front of each vehicle. Blocking drive lanes is prohibited. Tailgating is also permitted on the medians that separate the parking lots from the roadways. Visit here for details.

Prong, 3 p.m. Friday, Lot G, and Overkill, 3 p.m. Sunday, Lot G. Attendees need Metallica concert tickets.

Box Office/Ticketmaster Will-Call: Located at trailer outside MetLife Gate opens at 1 p.m. Check your tickets and make sure you have the correct ticket date. Barcodes for ticket scanning will appear on mobile tickets eight hours prior to the event.

General Admission “GA” tickets: Non-VIP GA ticketholders may line-up beginning at 1 p.m. at the HCL Tech Gate next to the NJ Transit Train Station.

More:New Jersey punk rock legends Misfits rule the night at the Prudential Center in Newark

Merchandise will be available at the following locations:

Outside Stadium Gates: Two merchandise trailers (one near the MetLife Entrance Gate, one near the Pedestrian Walkover Bridge) open at 1 p.m. Inside Stadium Gates: MetLife Plaza (Metallica Merch Truck), Pepsi Plaza, West Mezzanine Club, Corona Beach Club, sections 117, 133, 144, 201, 226, 306, 321, 331, 345 opens at 4:30 p.m.

Guests are welcome to carry-in the following items into MetLife Stadium:

The following items are not permitted to be carried into MetLife Stadium:

To ensure the highest level of safety and security, all guests will be subject to a courteous screening by Safety Services team members prior to entering the Stadium. All vehicles are subject to inspection prior to entering the MetLife Sports Complex, and all bags will be inspected prior to entering the Stadium.

MetLife Stadium has partnered with Kulture City in an effort to provide a more inclusive and comfortable experience for our guests with sensory processing needs. Our team members are trained and certified to recognize opportunities to assist these guests in their enjoyment of our events. We also offer sensory bags containing noise-cancelling headphones brought to you by Bose, fidget toys and weighted lap pads, among other resources for checkout at any Guest Service Booth or Concierge Desk located through the Stadium. Contact our Guest Services Department at 201-559-1515 for more information.

MetLife Stadium is now a cash-free venue for all concession and retail locations. Cash is not accepted at concession stands or retail locations. For guests who bring cash to the stadium, reverse ATMs are available onsite to load cash onto a prepaid Visa debit card valid for in-stadium purchases. This service is free of charge to guests. The Visa debit card has no expiration date and can be used anywhere a Visa debit card is accepted. Reverse ATMs are located in MetLife West Hall and sections 117, 128, 149, 220a, 245a, 304, 322, 334 and 347.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; [email protected]