Metallica announce NEC gig

Didn't manage to get your hands on AC/CD tickets? Well, you can try to console yourself by joining the rush for Metallica tickets as the metal legends head to Birmingham's LG Arena next March.

Celebrating the launch of their new Death Magnetic album, which soared to number one in charts in 32 countries, Metallica are set to play a full tour of the UK for the first time since October 1996.

They will play the LG Arena at the NEC on Wednesday March 25, 2009. The concert will be performed in the round with general admission tickets situated on the floor and reserved seating off the floor.

Tickets priced £40 plus booking and transaction fee go on sale at 9am this Friday (October 24) and can be purchased on-line at theticketfactory.com or by calling The Ticket Factory on 0844 33 88 000.

Support on all dates will be Machine Head and The Sword.

On their last visit to the UK in September this year, Metallica played an intimate show in front of 300 competition winners at the BBC Radio Theatre which was later transmitted on Radio 1 in a five hour Metallica-fest.

The band also played a fans-only show at the 02 Arena, with the £5 per head ticket money going to UK charity Youth Music and also Metallica said: "We can't wait to visit the UK again, so strap in, hang on, and get ready for the nuttiness to begin."

They have hinted that the set-list will be a real treat for hardcore Metallica fans, moving away from the "greatest hits" format of the past few tours.

Metallica have just been nominated for two awards at the forthcoming MTV Europe awards for the "Rock Out" and "Headliner" categories.

The show will be broadcast live from the Liverpool Echo Arena in Liverpool, on Thursday 6 November.

Check out www.metallica.com for more info on the band.