Turnstile turned down the chance to tour with Metallica, frontman James Hetfield said on a recent episode of his SiriusXM show “Riff Life.”
“We wanted to get them on tour, and they said no,” Hetfield said, according to Consequence. “They’re doing good on their own already.”
Hetfield didn’t say when Metallica made the offer, and he doesn’t appear to be holding a grudge over it.
What Hetfield said about Turnstile
Hetfield used the moment to send listeners straight to the Baltimore hardcore band’s live show.
“But man, what a vibe they bring. They are so fun. Go see them play if you can,” he said, according to NME. “Just like many, many bands, they sound great on their records and recordings, but man, when you see them live, you totally get it.”
The two bands also know each other offstage. “We’ve hung out with them a bit,” Hetfield said. “Super cool guys, super fun. They’ve got a gal in the band now playing, which is fun.”
That last line pointed to guitarist Meg Mills, Stereogum noted. Mills started with Turnstile as a touring guitarist and became a full member ahead of the 2025 album “Never Enough.”
Hetfield’s fandom isn’t new. In 2024, video caught him rocking out sidestage with Judas Priest’s Rob Halford during Turnstile’s set at Norway’s Tons of Rock festival, Loudwire reported.
Turnstile’s big year
“Doing good” may undersell it. Turnstile headlined a free benefit concert on the National Mall in Washington on Oct. 24, drawing a crowd organizers estimated at about 60,000, FOX 5 DC reported. The show closed the second leg of the band’s North American tour.
Three weeks earlier, the band made its “Saturday Night Live” debut on the Oct. 3 episode hosted by Dakota Johnson, as detailed in Total Apex Entertainment’s coverage of the performance. Turnstile also won two Grammy Awards in February, best rock album for “Never Enough” and best metal performance for “Birds,” and it’s among the headliners of Primavera Sound 2027 in Barcelona, Spain, as covered in Total Apex Entertainment’s report on the festival’s lineup.
Metallica’s 2027 stadium tour
Metallica has plenty on its own calendar. The band is in the middle of its “Life Burns Faster” residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, which runs through March 13, 2027, and it plays Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Nov. 19 and Nov. 21.
After that, the M72 World Tour returns with 12 North American stadium shows, starting May 8, 2027, at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, and ending June 19, 2027, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, JamBase reported. Limp Bizkit and Avatar will support the run.
Metallica has made room for younger heavy bands on recent bills. Knocked Loose joined Gojira as support on select dates of the band’s 2026 European and U.K. run, Ice Nine Kills played its 2025 North American leg and Spiritbox will open the Nov. 21 show in Connecticut.
What’s next
Turnstile hadn’t publicly responded to Hetfield’s comments as of publication, and Hetfield didn’t say which tour the band passed on or whether the invitation still stands. For now, both bands have full schedules heading into 2027.
For more news on the bands you love, follow our music coverage.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
