BLACKSBURG, Va. – The countdown is on for fans as Metallica will be rocking Lane Stadium Wednesday night. But the party started long before the gates opened.
“For me, seeing Metallica is a lifelong dream,” said one fan wearing a well-worn band T-shirt.
Tens of thousands of fans have taken over the lots around Lane Stadium, tailgating like it’s game day. But instead of helmets and jerseys, it’s black shirts, denim and vintage Metallica tees.
Some of those shirts came from a pop-up shop downtown, where lines wrapped around the block as fans rushed to grab merchandise before the show.
Inside the stadium, everyone’s buzzing about one song in particular, and that song, of course, is Enter Sandman.
The Metallica hit has echoed through Lane Stadium for more than two decades, blaring each fall as part of Virginia Tech’s football tradition. But Wednesday night, the band behind the anthem will perform it live — on the same field where Hokies jump every game.
“I mean, everyone’s going to be jumping,” one fan said. “I can’t wait to see if we actually get to create an earthquake.”
Some fans didn’t stop at burgers and coolers. One tailgate turned into a full-on pre-show concert, complete with instruments and amps.
“I was like, ‘Hey, just bring the whole setup,’” one organizer said. “They were like, ‘You don’t think people will mind if we play?’ And I’m like, ‘Buddy, it’s a rock concert. That’s what we’re supposed to do. Rock on.’”