METALLICA kicked off the European leg of their M72 world tour on May 9 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece, performing for approximately 85,000 fans. The show marked the band's first Greek appearance since 2010, with support from GOJIRA and KNOCKED LOOSE.
The highlight of the evening came when guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo performed a heartfelt tribute to Greece: "Zorba's Dance" — the iconic composition by legendary Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, made famous by the 1964 film "Zorba the Greek." The duo also covered "You Don't Fit Anywhere," a beloved Greek song by the local band Tripes.
The performance was part of METALLICA's tradition of incorporating local musical surprises — called "doodles" — at each tour stop. These unplugged acoustic segments feature just Hammett and Trujillo, who research local artists in each city and learn songs they have never performed before. "We've gotta do something different," Trujillo has explained of the tradition.
The M72 tour originally launched in April 2023 in support of METALLICA's album "72 Seasons." Since then, the band has performed for an estimated four million fans worldwide. Through their All Within My Hands foundation — which has raised over $20 million — METALLICA donates ticket proceeds to local charities in each city they visit.