The legacy of Metallica‘s iconic late bassist Cliff Burton will once again be celebrated in his hometown of Castro Valley, California. On Tuesday, February 10—which would have marked Burton‘s 64th birthday—family, friends, and fans will gather at the historic Chabot Theater for the ninth annual “Cliff Burton Day.”
This year’s festivities carry a special theme, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Metallica‘s seminal “Damage Inc.” tour. To mark the milestone, the event will feature a panel of storytelling guests comprised of the road crew who kept that legendary 1986 trek moving. Confirmed speakers include Eddie Kercher, Big Mick, Bobby Schneider, John Marshall, Howard Ungerleider, Andy Battye, and Aiden Mullen.
Joining the crew on the guest list are Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin and guitarist Bryan Kehoe.
Radio personality Baby Huey will serve as the evening’s host. The celebration will also feature live musical performances from Humma Kavula, Cataclysmic, and Harald Oimoen, promising a night of heavy riffs and fond memories.
The event is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. PST. Tickets for the in-person gathering are available now via thechabot.com.
For fans around the globe unable to attend in Castro Valley, the entire celebration will be broadcast via a live stream at youtube.com/gomezgrip.
Exclusive commemorative t-shirts and posters will be sold at the venue. Organizers have confirmed that all proceeds from merchandise sales will go directly to the Cliff Burton Music Scholarship Fund, an organization dedicated to supporting the musical education of aspiring young artists.
“Cliff Burton Day” was officially proclaimed by the Alameda County supervisors on February 10, 2018, to honor the musician’s deep roots in the area. Burton famously refused to move to Los Angeles when asked to join Metallica in 1982, prompting the band to relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area to secure his talents.
During his tenure, Burton played on the band’s first three landmark albums—Kill ‘Em All, Ride The Lightning, and Master Of Puppets—and received co-writing credits on classics such as “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” “Fade To Black,” and “Creeping Death.” His life was cut short in a tour bus accident in Sweden in September 1986.
