Metallica, a global heavy metal powerhouse, will perform two performances at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton this weekend.
The band behind “Enter Sandman,” “Seek and Destroy,” and “Nothing Else Matters” excited fans before their first of two Edmonton gigs.
Metallica fans lined up at 4 a.m. on Thursday for a pop-up store selling band items outside Edmonton’s Exhibition Lands, even though it opened at 11 a.m.
One store patron told Global News that he flew from St. John’s to Edmonton to watch Metallica.
The North American leg of Metallica’s global tour will stop at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday and Sunday.
Montreal was the only other Canadian city on this trip. The Quebec and Alberta dates are Metallica’s first Canadian shows since 2018.
Concerts affect traffic.
The Edmonton Police Service warned of “significant traffic and pedestrian congestion” around Commonwealth Stadium starting Friday afternoon.
The EPS stated police will supervise automobile and pedestrian traffic and that Stadium Road between 92nd Street and 112th Avenue will close at 4 p.m.
“The road will reopen after pedestrian, bus, and vehicle traffic has subsided to safe levels,” an EPS representative stated in a press release.
“After the concert at 11 p.m., Stadium Road will be closed again until concertgoers are safely out.”
Edmonton’s CFL team won’t play at Commonwealth Stadium until Sept. 7 due of Metallica and Pink’s August appearances.
