Virginia Tech Completely Transforms Football Field For Metallica

For years, Virginia Tech has taken the field at Lane Stadium to ‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica. It is one of the most electric traditions in college football, especially on a rocking Thursday night in Blacksburg.

On May 7th, Metallica will take the same field for themselves.

The legendary rock band is scheduled to stop at the historic college football stadium as part of its M72 World Tour. It will be just the second concert at this specific venue in school history. Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Phil Vassar and Nas played a show for Virginia Tech after the tragic shooting in 2007. NLE Choppa and countless others have performed on a stage just outside, but not inside.

For those who are not aware, the ‘Enter Sandman’ tradition dates back to Aug. 27, 2000, when the school installed the first videoboard at the stadium. With a new videoboard came a new walkout song.

The “jump” came along a few years later on a chilly night. One of the band members started jumping up and down during the team entrance to warm up. His bandmates followed suit. The entire stadium was jumping right along not long thereafter. It just stuck!

There is are very few environments more intimidating than a late Thursday or Saturday night at Lane Stadium. When the stadium is rocking, you can feel it in your bones.

Now that the Hokies are synonymous with Metallica, it makes perfect sense for them to play a show in Blacksburg. The band will play in the round at the 50-yard-line next month.

Virgina Tech’s grounds crew has started to prepare the field for the concert. The process is far more expansive than I would expect.

Step one is to remove the sprinkler heads.