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There were plenty of back-and-forth conversations. Wurthman took members of his staff to see the legendary heavy metal band at Soldier Field in early August. Metallica sent members of its production team to Lane Stadium to see how feasible it was to put on a full-scale concert.

The two years of behind-the-scenes work paid off early Thursday morning. The Metallica M72 World Tour was coming to Lane Stadium and Blacksburg for a one-night show on May 7, 2025.

鈥淵ou have to shoot for the moon sometimes, try it and see what happens, and we had a few folks on staff who believed we could get it done, which is nice,鈥� Wurthman said Saturday. 鈥淲hen people believe in a crazy idea that sounds somewhat ridiculous to most, that gives you enough to kind of roll with it. I believed we could get it done from the jump.鈥�

Metallica鈥檚 concert at Lane Stadium will come 25 years after the Hokies began using 鈥淓nter Sandman鈥� for home games. The song from the band鈥檚 highly acclaimed self-titled fifth studio album is traditionally thought of with the football team and has branched out to other sports such as men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball at Cassell Coliseum.

鈥淚t is an amazing, passionate fan base that has kept that song alive and then some,鈥� athletic director Whit Babock said. 鈥淪o they played a huge role in it. And bringing the concert to them, and for that matter winning football games, are both really important to us to reward that group.鈥�

Babcock revealed Saturday that Tech has 鈥渟tarted and stopped a few different times with Metallica鈥� over his 11 years as athletic director. Wurthman added the timing often wouldn鈥檛 line up because getting to Blacksburg didn鈥檛 fit within the band鈥檚 tour schedule.

The M72 World Tour will make a two-show stop at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 1 and 3 before coming to Blacksburg. The band will head to Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio, for shows on May 9 and 11.

Wurthman said it was 鈥渁 happy accident鈥� that the one-night show will come on the final day of classes for the 2024-25 academic year.

鈥淚t just worked out in our favor that that鈥檚 the date that worked for them and that鈥檚 the date that worked in their routing,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o it could not have worked out any more perfectly.鈥�

Wurthman said the current ticket manifest for the show at Lane Stadium is between 70,000 and 75,000. That number includes seats in the suites and the grandstands, along with those who purchase tickets on the field and in the snake pit in the middle of the stage.

Wurthman added the process of building the tower and stage for the concert will begin either May 1 or 2, and teardown of the set will begin immediately after the show.

Virginia Tech鈥檚 graduation is set for May 16.

鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty incredible,鈥� he said.

Wurthman began the discussions with the band through Live Nation. There were two concepts that were presented for getting Metallica to Blacksburg 鈥� have the band perform 鈥淓nter Sandman鈥� prior to a football game or put on a full show.

The band said everything that would go into a production setup for one song was too much for the five or so minutes it would perform. Thus, the focus became getting to Blacksburg for a full concert.

鈥淭he wildest experience of my professional career, quite honestly,鈥� Wurthman said. 鈥淲e started with a pretty moonshot concept in, 鈥楲et鈥檚 do something everybody has been clamoring for and everybody鈥檚 been asking for.鈥� And when the opportunity arose, again, to Whit鈥檚 point, we tried both. 鈥榃e鈥檇 love for you to come and play 鈥楽andman;鈥� we鈥檇 also love for you to make this a spot on your tour鈥� and didn鈥檛 know we鈥檇 get a yes to either of them. And so the opportunity presents itself to do the concert, and admittedly, seeing it 鈥� for those who have not seen a Metallica show 鈥� in real life, they鈥檙e in for a treat in May.鈥�