Metallica Plays San Francisco Tech Conference, Raises Money for Children’s Hospitals

Metallica performed a dozen songs at Chase Center last Wednesday night during the Dreamforce conference. The band's performance backed UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, with admission starting at $1,500.

The band played a 90-minute set. They opened with "Creeping Death" and closed with "Enter Sandman." This marked their third Dreamfest appearance since 2011.

The four musicians, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo, commanded the stage at the arena's center. Fans surrounded them from every angle. "We are here to have some fun tonight," Hetfield told the crowd, as reported by The Mercury News.

At Bayfront Park across from the arena, singer Benson Boone put on his own show. Mid-set, Hetfield joked about the competing act. "Hey, is that Benson Boone guy on right now? I want to see it. I want to see the backflip," he said.

The crowd stood out from typical metal shows as suits and blazers replaced black t-shirts and denim. They performed many fan favorites, including "The Unforgiven" and "Master of Puppets." 

Past Dreamfest shows have drawn other massive acts like Foo Fighters and U2. Each year's show serves two purposes: it gives conference attendees a night out while supporting children's medical care.

The night's full lineup was "Creeping Death," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Fuel," "The Memory Remains," "The Unforgiven," "Sad but True," "Wherever I May Roam," "Nothing Else Matters," "Seek & Destroy," "One," "Master of Puppets," and "Enter Sandman." The band is currently on their M72 world tour.