Kirk Hammett took an unexpected tumble into the crowd during Metallica’s show at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Friday (June 19), briefly slipping off the stage just as the band launched into “Seek & Destroy” in front of roughly 40,000 fans.
The 63-year-old guitarist lost his footing at the edge of the stage and fell into the audience, missing only a few notes before quickly being helped back up and continuing the performance without interruption. He later confirmed he was unharmed by posting fan-shot footage on his Instagram Stories, jokingly captioned “Slip & Destroy.”
The moment quickly spread across social media, with multiple fan-recorded clips circulating on YouTube and X. Hammett’s lighthearted reaction drew praise from fans, many of whom highlighted how he managed to laugh off what could have been a serious incident.
The Dublin concert was part of Metallica’s ongoing European stadium tour, which continues with stops at Glasgow’s Hampden Park (June 25), Cardiff’s Principality Stadium (June 28), and two nights at London Stadium (July 3 and 5). After the European leg, the band is scheduled to launch a 24-date residency at the Las Vegas Sphere beginning Oct. 1, running through March 2027.
One of the most commercially successful rock acts in history, Metallica has sold over 150 million albums worldwide and achieved six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, including Metallica (1991) and Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2016).
Their 2023 album 72 Seasons debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, marking the first time since 1988’s …And Justice for All that a studio album did not reach No. 1. “Seek & Destroy,” the song Hammett was playing when he fell, comes from the band’s 1983 debut Kill ‘Em All and has remained a core part of their live set for decades.
