Metallica Guitarist Kirk Hammett Hopes Orion Helps Revive Detroit

2013-06-07

Story by Audio Ink Radio Staff

Exclusive: Metallica’s Kirk Hammett on bringing Orion Music + More to Detroit

Metallica are about to kick off year two of their multi-genre, two-day music festival, Orion Music + More, and this time around, the show is hitting Detroit’s Belle Isle. Last year, the metal band held their inaugural festival in Atlantic City, N.J. While things went well in 2013, they thought the scenery needed a change this time around.

“New Jersey was a good location, and Atlantic City was a good location,” Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett told Audio Ink Radio. “It was difficult for a lot of people to get to, and there were a lot of other different factors involved that made it more difficult for us to go back to Atlantic City.”

Hammett says Detroit was always a city that welcomed Metallica with open arms and ears, so it made sense to bring Orion to the Motor City. “Also, logistically, it enabled people to come from all sorts of different directions,” he added. “People from the Midwest will be able to see us, people from maybe Canada—it’s just a better access place overall.”

Hammett is also hoping Orion will help revive Detroit– a city in economic turmoil. “We realize that Detroit is a bit down in dumps right now economically, and we’re hoping these shows will help Detroit a little bit in that department,” Hammett said. “And because Detroit is in a slump economically, it was also easier for us to procure the site of the concert. So, it worked on a lot of different levels why we chose Detroit, and all of them were positive.”

This year’s Orion Music + More lineup features Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rise Against, Deftones,Bassnectar, the Joy Formidable, Death Grips, the Dirtbombs, Death, Battlecross, Foals, Tomahawk and many more. The Red Hot Chili Peppers will headline the show Saturday, and Metallica will close out the festival on Sunday. For more on Orion, head to the event’s official website.