Metallica News

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has reportedly been hospitalized in Zurich, Switzerland, with an undisclosed ailment, forcing him to miss the band's performance Sunday (June 6) at the Download Festival in England. Slipknot's Joey Jordison and Slayer's Dave Lombardo filled in for Ulrich, literally at the last minute, as Metallica reportedly sought volunteers from other bands backstage. No other information was available at press time about Ulrich's condition.

According to reports online, Metallica arrived onstage a half hour late. Frontman James Hetfield, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and bassist Robert Trujillo came to the front of the stage, where Hetfield announced, "Unfortunately our drummer, Lars, is in the hospital. We don't know what's wrong, but we wish him all the best. Some friends of ours are gonna help us out, so we're going to make rock history tonight!"

Lombardo performed the first two songs of the band's abbreviated, 11-song set, with Jordison taking over on the third number of the show.

Ulrich's longtime drum tech, Flemming, stepped in for song number six, "Fade To Black," before Jordison came back for the rest of the set, delivering what Virtual Festival called a "truly legendary performance." Although plans were initially made for several other drummers to join the band onstage, Jordison never left from the seventh song onward.

Metallica set list from the Download Festival:

"Battery" w/ Dave Lombardo from Slayer

"The Four Horsemen" w/ Dave Lombardo from Slayer

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" w/ Joey Jordison from Slipknot

"Creeping Death" w/ Joey Jordison from Slipknot

"Seek And Destroy" w/ Joey Jordison from Slipknot

"Fade To Black" w/ Flemming (Lars' Drum Tech)

"Wherever I May Roam" w/ Joey Jordison from Slipknot

"Last Caress" w/ Joey Jordison from Slipknot

"Sad But True" w/ Joey Jordison from Slipknot

"Nothing Else Matters" w/ Joey Jordison from Slipknot

"Enter Sandman" w/ Joey Jordison from Slipknot

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