Metallica Celebrate Melbourne with Iconic Cover
Metallica transformed Marvel Stadium into a celebration of their Melbourne roots by covering The Living End’s "Prisoner of Society" during their 2025 Australian tour. The performance was part of a powerful setlist that thrilled fans.
Local Tributes Across the Tour
Continuing their tradition of honoring local music, Metallica performed a classic from each Australian city. In Melbourne, they paid homage to hometown band The Living End with their hit "Prisoner of Society," featuring Kirk Hammett on guitar and Rob Trujillo on bass and vocals.
- In Perth, the band covered John Butler's "Zebra."
- In Adelaide, they played The Angels’ "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again."
Attentive listeners might have caught a subtle nod to INXS' "Don't Change" at the start of the Melbourne cover.
Returning After 12 Years
It had been 12 years since Metallica last toured Australia. When frontman James Hetfield asked how many attendees were seeing Metallica for the first time, many hands went up, though the majority of the 40,000-plus crowd were devoted longtime fans.
“At one point, an image of a 1989 Festival Hall ticket flashed on the big screens, marking Metallica's first Melbourne show on May 4, 1989.”
Festival Hall held just over 5,000 spectators then, while Marvel Stadium’s crowd was ten times larger, marking Metallica’s biggest single-night audience ever in Melbourne.
Author’s Summary
Metallica’s 2025 Melbourne show celebrated local music legends, drawing a massive crowd and marking their largest performance in the city after 12 years.