Metallica’s long-awaited M72 World Tour stop in Perth took an unexpected turn over the weekend when two concertgoers were arrested and charged with trespassing after allegedly scaling a central tower inside Optus Stadium during the band’s performance.
According to Western Australia Police, the incident occurred on Saturday (Nov. 1) during Metallica’s first Australian show since 2013. The two men — a 20-year-old from Carey Park and a 23-year-old from Australind — were removed from the venue and will face court for the dangerous stunt.
Police confirmed that a 20-year-old man from Carey Park and a 23-year-old man from Australind were arrested and charged with trespassing after scaling the structure.
“It will be alleged the men climbed up the central tower inside the bowl at the Metallica concert held at Optus Stadium on Saturday,” a WA Police spokesperson said, according to news.com.au.
The concert marked the band’s first return to Australian soil in over a decade. Their last local appearance was headlining the now-defunct Soundwave Festival in 2013, where they shared the bill with blink-182, Linkin Park, Slayer and Paramore.
Support came from Suicidal Tendencies and Evanescence, while fans lined up earlier in the week at a dedicated M72 pop-up shop in Perth, offering exclusive merch, screen-printed posters, vinyl, and tour-themed skateboards.
Metallica has enjoyed remarkable success on the Billboard charts, with their 1991 self-titled album, known as The Black Album, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and becoming one of the longest-charting albums in the chart’s history.
The band’s Australian tour continues with upcoming shows in Adelaide (Nov. 5), Melbourne (Nov. 8), Brisbane and Sydney over the next week. After wrapping their Australia and New Zealand shows, the rockers will continue the tour with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Their current M72 World Tour will wrap in July 2026, following dates in Europe and the U.K.
Full tour details are available on the band’s official website.
