It felt like a bolt of lightning hit the ballpark. Right before the San Francisco Giants game, James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett walked onto the field, guitars in hand, and suddenly this wasn’t just a baseball night anymore. They tore into “The Star-Spangled Banner” with raw power and real emotion, turning a familiar song into something unforgettable. Only Kirk Hammett would bring a wah pedal to a stadium full of baseball fans—and somehow make it feel perfectly natural. No vocals, no flash, just pure sound and control, played with more heart than most singers could ever pull off. This wasn’t Metallica showing off. They were trusted to carry the anthem. When America met metal that night, the entire crowd felt it straight in their bones.
On August 7, 2017, San Francisco’s AT&T Park (now Oracle Park) hosted its fifth annual Metallica Night, a lively celebration that paired America’s pastime with the Bay Area metal legends. As part of the festivities, Metallica guitar titans James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett took the field before the San Francisco Giants game and delivered an electric rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” on … Read more