Metallica in Detroit: Everything you need to know ahead of the band's two Ford Field shows

It's Metallica week in Metro Detroit.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are set to perform two shows at Ford Field, Friday and Sunday, and are promising no repeated songs between the two concerts.

Around those two shows, there are a handful of events planned for both in- and out-of-towners to keep the pedal pressed to the metal all weekend long.

Here's a rundown of everything you need to know as Metallica prepares to take over the Motor City.

The concerts

The shows take place starting at 6 p.m. Friday and Sunday, with doors for each opening at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are available for each show individually or for the two concerts together, via Ticketmaster.

The concerts are in the round, with the band performing at the center of the stadium. This means full, 360-degree seating, allowing for capacity of 70,000-plus.

The shows are the band's final two North American dates on the current leg of its M72 World Tour, supporting "72 Seasons," Metallica's 11th studio album, which was released in April. The tour kicked off in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in August, and the next shows on the band's docket are in Munich in May 2024. The band returns to the U.S. next August.

Metallica's last local concert was at Comerica Park in 2017.

At earlier tour stops, shows have lasted around 2 hours, 15 minutes, with the band taking the stage around 8:45 p.m. and performing until 11 p.m.

Texas hard rockers Pantera, performing their first Detroit concert since 2001, will open the Friday show, along with Mammoth WVH, Wolfgang Van Halen's band. Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills will open Sunday's concert.

Contests to win meet and greets with the band and passes into the stage-surrounding Snake Pit are currently open via Metallica's website.

At the shows, those with floor access should enter through Gate C and Snake Pit VIP ticketholders should enter through Gate D.

Satellite events

It's not just a Metallica show when Metallica comes to town. Here is a list of events and activities tied to Metallica's concerts:

Pop-up shop: A place to get all your Metallica merchandise (posters, T-shirts, skateboards and Metallica-branded Yeti drinkware) ahead of time so you don't have to hold on to them during the shows or risk getting beer spilled all over them. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, 160 W. Fort St., Detroit.

James Hetfield book signing: The Metallica frontman will be signing copies of his new book "Messengers: The Guitars of James Hetfield" at 2 p.m. Saturday at Third Man Records Cass Corridor, 441 W. Canfield St., Detroit. The event is sold out.

Metallica tribute concert: The Metallica tribute bands Damage, Inc. and Motorbreath will play live at 7 p.m. Saturday at Saint Andrew's Hall. Tickets, $25, are available through Ticketmaster.

Bastardane concert: Hard rockers Bastardane, featuring Hetfield's son Castor on drums and backing vocals, will perform with Fury in Few and Klept at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Sanctuary, 2932 Caniff St. in Hamtramck. Tickets, $15, are available via Ticketweb.

Whiskey events: Metallica's Blackened Whiskey, a 90 proof blend of straight whiskeys brewed in Columbus, Ohio, will be available at several sites, including a pair of pre-show happy hour events from 3-6 p.m. Friday and Sunday at Thomas Magee's Sporting House and Whiskey Bar, 1408 E. Fisher Service Dr., Detroit, and a bottle signing with distillers Rob Dietrich and Kaveh Zamanian from noon-2 p.m. Saturday at Total Wine and more, 13801 Lakeside Circle, in Sterling Heights.

Blackened Whiskey cocktails, $19.49, will be available at the two concerts at select stands, including the Gate A and Gate G Build-A-Bars, Gate D Bar, BLITZ, WynnBET Sports Bar, Bloody Mary Bar (South Club), and Detroit Spirits (212), and the “Blackened Fade” — Blackened Whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup and fee foam garnished with a black sucker and a lemon twist — will be available for $25.99.

Volunteer opportunity: Fans ages 14 and above are encouraged to pitch in time with Metallica's non-profit arm, All Within My Hands, for a volunteer shift from 9-11:30 a.m. Friday at Gleaners Food Bank, 21405 Trolley Industrial Drive, Taylor. Opportunities are currently full but waitlist positions are available at Gleaners' website.

Metallica pinball: Just wanna play some pinball? Pop some credits into the Metallica pinball machines at Barcade Detroit, 666 Selden St.; Free Play Pinball Arcade, 34830 Utica Rd. Suite 100, Fraser; Joe's Hamburgers, 3041 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte; Pinball Pete's, 1214 S University Ave., Ann Arbor; and the Arcade, 10816 E. Grand River Road, Brighton. Remember, no tilting.

Live recordings: Live CDs of the two shows are already available for pre-order via Metallica's website for $24.99 each, or both shows for $39.99. Digital downloads will be available via livemetallica.com.

Traffic: Concertgoers should be aware there is a Detroit Pistons game at Little Caesars Arena on Friday night and Christian artist TobyMac is playing the arena on Sunday night, so allow extra time for traffic downtown. Both nights also see the touring production of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical" playing the Fox Theatre.

agraham@detroitnews.com