It’s been six years since Metallica played Austin, TX, a period of time that will come to a close when the band takes the city in June to headline ESPN’s annual X Games.
Metallica sat down with Tony Hawk to talk about X Games and its tie to their music, as well as to express their excitement to be headlining. The band also spoke to Rolling Stone about performing at the event. “It’s about time!” James Hetfield said. “When athletes are already really good and the music takes them to another place, you can’t explain that.”
“The style and the way that I play, low center of gravity, has a lot to do with skating and surfing and even snowboarding,” Robert Trujillo added. Hawk also spoke to the publication, noting that the band’s music has long been associated with action sports. It only makes sense, then, that they would be among those to headline the X Games.
Metallica will perform on June 6, day three of the four-day event. Nicki Minaj has also been confirmed as a Super Stage headliner, with Talib Kweli, The Glitch Mob, Kid Ink, Joywave, Deltron 3030, and Pennywise booked to perform. Check out Metallica’s interview with Hawk below.