Metallica to play Blizzcon

Metallica will play this year’s Blizzcon gaming convention, they’ve confirmed.

They’ll close the event in Anaheim, California, on November 8 – and US fans will have the chance to watch the show via a Blizzcon virtual ticket or the DirecTV service.

Blizzard Entertainment boss Mike Morhaime says: “After two full days of epic gaming and intense esports action, an earth-shaking concert is the perfect sendoff for everyone at the show and watching from home.”

The annual event has previously hosted appearances by Ozzy Osbourne, Foo Fighters, Blink-182 and others.

James Hetfield and co, who continue work on the follow-up to 2008’s Death Magnetic, have just released three more bootlegs via LiveMetallica.com – recordings from this year’s appearances at Rock Am Ring in Germany, Pinkpop in the Netherlands and Rock In Rome are available now.

Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward this week hailed Lars Ulrich as an “exceptional” sticksman, adding: “If you’re learning drums, listen to Lars, man. He’s got some really good stuff that you can learn from.”

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.