A Metallica tribute band that had all their gear stolen last Saturday is getting help from the band that originally sought out to Kill 'Em All.
Blistered Earth's gear was stolen while they stayed overnight at a hotel after performing in Portland, Oregon. The Spokane, Washington-based Metallica cover band's Facebook posts regarding the theft garnered several hundred shares, and apparently someone in Metallica saw the post as a result.
According to TV station KOIN 6, Blistered Earth played Rock Hard PDX in Portland and later checked into a Chestnut Tree Inn on the way back home to Washington. It was the following morning where they discovered their trailer and $20,000 worth of their gear was stolen.
Blistered Earth member Jared Kiess said Thursday that Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich had gotten in touch with the cover band and offered to replace the stolen gear.
“He asked for a list of gear, which we provided,” Kiess wrote in an email to the TV station. “Obviously, this kind of thing is going to take time, so we aren’t expecting a pile of gear to show up on our doorsteps tomorrow. But we are beyond thrilled, and pleasantly surprised by the fact that they even heard the story, much less that they made such an offer. It is incredibly humbling and gives us even greater respect for the band we pay tribute to every night.”
Back in 2016, Metallica issued a cease and desist letter to a Canadian cover band called Sandman but later dropped the issue and blamed the letter on an overzealous attorney, and invited the cover band to eventually open for them. So it looks like Metallica is cool with tribute bands playing their music.
Below is a list of all the gear stolen. No word on when Metallica is set to replace the gear or what the band's gear is going to presumably be upgraded to, but I bet none of it will be made by Line 6.
