posted on by Ken Iikura-Gross
Metallica: “Watching younger generations find their way to our music never gets old… it’s one of the best parts of doing this”
©Ado
American heavy metal band Metallica praised Japanese singer Ado on Wednesday for her “Summer Sonic 2026” concert performance of the band’s song “Enter Sandman.” Metallica said on social media, “Watching younger generations find their way to our music never gets old… it’s one of the best parts of doing this. But we’ve never seen it done quite like Ado just did it. Opening AND closing Summer Sonic with ‘Enter Sandman’?! We’re blown away. Thank you!”
Ado quote-reposted Metallica’s comments minutes after it was released: “This is huge! A message from Metallica?!?!?! I’m so happy!!!!”
Ado appeared at the annual Japanese summer music festival in Tokyo on August 15 and Osaka on August 16. Ado opened her Tokyo set with “Enter Sandman” and then closed her Osaka set with the song.
The festival started in 2000 at the Fuji-Q Highland theme park in Yamanashi Prefecture and the WTC Open Air Stadium in Osaka. That inaugural festival boasted James Brown, Dragon Ash, Green Day, Weezer, and 311, among many other musical acts. In 2001, the festival moved from Fuji-Q Highland to the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba Prefecture and expanded to two locations in Osaka. Since 2002, the Summer Sonic music festival has been held in the greater Tokyo Metropolitan area in Chiba and Osaka.
Sources: Metallica’s X/Twitter account, Ado‘s X/Twitter account (link 2), Summer Sonic’s website
