Watch Metallica Play The National Anthem At SF Giants Game

Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett returned to San Francisco’s Oracle Park on Tuesday night, May 24 and opened the San Francisco Giants baseball game with a shred version of the American National Anthem.

For nine seasons, Metallica has a long-running partnership with their hometown baseball team since 2013 and each appearance by the band is fittingly dubbed the “Metallica Night” of the season. Every year is highlighted by the group’s annual performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

This season, the guitar icons celebrated their first in-stadium Metallica Night in three years. At the end of their performance, Hetfield even through in a few notes from the band’s classic “Master of Puppets.” Portions of the proceeds for every Metallica Night event sold will go to the band’s All Within My Hands Foundation.

The duo sported their “City Connect” Giants jerseys with “City Connect” guitars, a new design orchestrated by both Major League Baseball and the NBA to help express the personality of each team’s home town. Both guitars were signed by all four members of the band, which also includes drummer Lars Ulrich and bassist Robert Trujillo

The past two seasons were an exception to Metallica Night due to the COVID pandemic, however in 2020, Hetfield and Hammett shared a video rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” for the Giants.

Metallica announced their appearance earlier this year. The band’s statement read:

“It’s a tradition that we’ve missed the last two seasons, so we’re really excited for the return of Metallica Night at Oracle Park with our hometown baseball team, the San Francisco Giants.

“This year marks the eighth time we’ll take the field for the National Anthem, first pitch, and a few other pre-game shenanigans.”

Watch their latest performance below.