Metallica donated £20,000 (26,435 USD) to a Cardiff foodbank ahead of their concert at the city’s Principality Stadium on Sunday (June 28).
The California heavy metal titans made the donation via their All Within My Hands foundation, with the BBC estimating that the amount will pay for 9,000 meals for people in need.
Talking to the BBC, Rachel Biggs, CEO of Cardiff Foodbank, says that the foodbank had been appealing for donations through social media beforehand as they were “very worried” and had never seen their “warehouse so empty”.
“We had an email [from Metallica] saying, ‘This isn’t a scam, please get in touch with the foundation,’” she continues. “They said, ‘We are going to donate £20,000 to you.’ It’s an incredible amount of money which will make such a difference and replenish our empty shelves.”
Cardiff Foodbank supports 20,000 people a year and has eight centres across the city. Taylor Swift donated to the foodbank in June 2024, ahead of her own performance at Principality Stadium as part of her blockbuster Eras tour, and her contribution allowed it to buy one-and-a-half articulated lorry’s worth of food.
But, the foodbank says that the Metallica donation is the “largest celebrity donation” it’s ever received.
Biggs, who estimates that Cardiff Foodbank’s running costs this year will total £700,000 (925,075 USD), says that the food donations the foodbank’s received have dropped 27 percent year-on-year. She attributes the decline to the ongoing impact of the UK cost of living crisis.
“The cost of living impacts all of us,” she tells the BBC. “It also impacts our running costs and we know our donors are generous, but we know the cost of living is pinching their pockets too.”
She says that the Metallica donation will be put towards a “bulk order” to replenish stock and predicts that the raised profile that the charity will receive from their contributions will support them for the rest of the year.
“What’s great for us [is] it helps raise the profile and what Metallica are doing is mobilising their fans, mobilising the local community,” she says.
This isn’t the only charitable work that Metallica are doing as they make their way across the UK on the final European leg of their M72 world tour. The band have also partnered with the NHS to promote giving blood. From June 26 to July 3, those who give blood in England may receive a Metallica t-shirt or guitar pick.
Mark Chambers, Director Of Donor Experience for NHS Blood And Transplant, says: “Metallica’s global reach gives us an incredible opportunity to connect with new audiences right across the country. Every donation can save up to three lives, and we urgently need more people to book appointments and become regular donors.
“Right now, we particularly need more O negative, B negative and Ro donors – but every blood type is vital. We’re asking fans to roll up their sleeves and be part of something bigger than the show.”
Metallica played a 16-song set at Principality Stadium, including a cover of local legend Tom Jones’ Delilah from guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Rob Trujillo. The band’s UK tour will conclude with two dates at London Stadium on July 3 and 5.
The shows will be part of Metallica’s No Repeat Weekend format, where they play the same venue with different support acts and totally different setlists. Gojira and Knocked Loose will open night one; Pantera and Avatar night two.
After the UK dates, Metallica’s next live performance will be a residency at Las Vegas multimedia venue the Sphere, which kicks off on October 1.
