Metallica plays 'Enter Sandman' live inside Lane Stadium

Metallica performaned in Blacksburg, Virginia inside Lane Stadium on the campus of Virginia Tech on Wednesday as a part of their M72 World Tour. Naturally, they performed their iconic song, Enter Sandman in front of the Hokies faithful.

It’s the first time the band has performed live in Blackburg. Though, it’s not the first time that the song has been played through the speakers inside the home of the Virginia Tech football program. It’s been a long-standing tradition to have the football program take the field each weekend with the song playing, and the entire crowd signing along.

“The show at Lane Stadium will mark the culmination of 20+ years of Enter Sandman playing as the Hokies take the field,” the official release of the world tour reads. For fans who weren’t able to catch the one night set, they can view the special moment below:

Lane like you’ve never seen it before 🤯 pic.twitter.com/BJmb4k1351

— HokieSports (@hokiesports) May 8, 2025

As soon as the beat drops, the roar of the crowd makes it feel like a Saturday in the fall. The raucous environment was apparent before any lyrics were said.

According to the school, the song was first used on Aug. 27, 2000, when Virginia Tech installed the first videoboard inside Lane Stadium. It was chosen for the team’s entrance song over ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ by Guns N’ Roses and ‘Sirius’ by The Alan Parsons Project. The song would eventually become the phenomenon it is today, with 66,000 fans in Blacksburg each Saturday jumping up and down, shaking the stadium in anticipation for the show their football program is about to put on for them.

Regarded as one of the most iconic enterances in college football, and Metallica has been a supporter of the tradition since the beginning. In 2011 prior to a game against Miami, the band even recorded a video for the fans in attendance, which was played alongside the entrance music.

“It all starts with ‘Enter Sandman’,” VT head coach Brent Pry said in July 2024. “There’s no better entrance in college football.” 

Blacksburg won’t be the only college town that Metallica will hit before the end of their tour in June. In fact, they’re set to play a two-night set in Columbus, Ohio. They already made the trip to Syracuse last month. Their tour will conclude on June 27 and 29 for a two-night event in Denver. On the first night, they be playing alongside Limp Bizkit and Ice Nine Kills. The second will feature Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies.