Metallica’s 40th anniversary concerts will stream live on Amazon

Metallica fans outside San Francisco will be able to watch the metal titans’ 40th anniversary shows next week, as both will stream live via Amazon.

Both gigs are set to go down at the Chase Center next week – the first on Friday December 17, then the second on Sunday 19 – with limited tickets still available via Ticketmaster. For those unable to attend in the flesh, however, the sets will be streamed live, free of charge, on Amazon’s Twitch account. They’ll also stream for Amazon members globally on the shopping giant’s Amazon Music and Prime Video platforms.

Following the streams (which will begin at 9pm PT on both nights, which is 5am GMT), 2022 will see Metallica release the sets for on-demand viewing on the Prime Video channel The Coda Collection. A concrete release date for that launch is yet to be announced.

As part of their partnership with Amazon, Metallica have linked up with DJ Mode on Amazon Music to launch their own temporary radio station, The Metallica Takeover. It’ll be available exclusively to Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers and Prime members; per the band’s website, it’ll feature “exclusive interviews and other features giving listeners something unique each time they tune in”.

Last month, Metallica outlined plans to “take over the city of San Francisco” between Thursday December 16 and Sunday 19 with a series of special events. Various Metallica-related acts will perform club shows, while fans can also visit a gallery event, book signings, film screenings and more.

White Reaper, who contributed to ‘The Metallica Blacklist’, will take to the stage at August Hall on December 16, performing alongside Taipei Houston (whose line-up includes Lars Ulrich‘s two sons, Layne and Myles). The following day, (December 17), The Wedding Band – a covers group featuring Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo – are set to perform at The Fillmore.

Taipei Houston will play a second gig on December 18, appearing at The Chapel alongside Trujillo’s son Tye’s band OTTTO. The Bimbo’s 365 venue, meanwhile, will host three Metallica tribute acts – Damage Inc, Motorbreath and Sandman – while Kamasi Washington performs at August Hall. You can find the full programme here along with ticket details for the individual events.

Metallica recently announced the rescheduled dates for their COVID-delayed South American tour, which is due to kick off in April. They also launched the Metallica Black Box, an ongoing project that showcases rare artefacts and footage from the band’s history.

Elsewhere, a Metallica fan has created a life-size model of Lars Ulrich that doubles as a toilet. The stunning creation is the brainchild of artist and designer Prince Midnight, who made headlines earlier this year when he constructed a functioning guitar from the skeleton of his dead uncle.