Hetfield Says Metallica Is Not at Sphere to Influence Fans

Metallica frontman James Hetfield told fans at the band’s Sphere concert in Las Vegas on October 10 that the group was not there to influence them with political messaging, describing its agenda instead as “love, energy, and heavy music.” Hetfield made the remarks while thanking concertgoers for the time and money involved in attending. He said people had come to celebrate with the band and that Metallica was there to help them forget about outside concerns. His comments were reported from the Saturday performance during the band’s Life Burns Faster residency. The remarks did not name a particular performer, political party or cause. They also did not explicitly identify whom Hetfield meant by “some other entertainers.” The statement has therefore been interpreted as a general contrast with performers who discuss politics at concerts, rather than a clearly directed criticism of any one person. One possible connection raised in coverage was a dispute surrounding musicians Macklemore and Ed Sheeran.