Wolfgang Van Halen has revealed that his band, Mammoth, was honored by Metallica with a special award after completing a grueling two-year run as their support act. Mammoth was the only band to play every single date on Metallica’s massive M72 world tour, which spanned 2023 and 2024.
In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Wolfgang reflected on the “sweet” gesture from the metal legends.
“We were the one band to play every single building with them,” Wolfgang said, “and they gave us this plaque that said, ‘Perfect Attendance Award.’ It was very sweet.”
Wolfgang described the monumental task of playing stadiums every night as a unique and “crazy” experience. “Opening for Metallica was unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of,” the Mammoth frontman said. “It was really, really crazy.”
He admitted the tour was also nerve-wracking, largely due to Metallica‘s “in the round” stage setup, which left support acts completely exposed.
“There’s nowhere to hide,” Wolfgang explained. “As a singer, when you’re kind of planted, it’s tough to give the show to the whole crowd.”
Despite the challenges, the tour was a massive success for Mammoth, which Wolfgang started as a solo project where he records every instrument. The project, which intentionally shies away from Van Halen material, recently released its third studio album, The End, on October 24. Following the Metallica run, Mammoth is currently on a North American headlining tour and was recently announced as part of the lineup for the 2026 Download festival in the UK.
Mammoth (Mammoth WVH) Upcoming Tour Dates:
- Nov. 8, 2025: Atlanta, GA (Tabernacle)
- Nov. 9, 2025: Charlotte, NC (The Fillmore Charlotte)
- Nov. 11, 2025: Silver Spring, MD (The Fillmore)
- Nov. 12, 2025: Boston, MA (Citizens House of Blues)
- Nov. 14, 2025: Montclair, NJ (The Wellmont Theater)
- Nov. 15, 2025: Mckees Rocks, PA (Roxian Theatre)
- Nov. 18, 2025: Cleveland, OH (Agora Theater & Ballroom)
- Nov. 19, 2025: Detroit, MI (The Fillmore Detroit)
- Nov. 20, 2025: Columbus, OH (KEMBA Live!)
- Nov. 22, 2025: Onamia, MN (Grand Casino Mille Lacs)
- Nov. 23, 2025: Green Bay, WI (EPIC Event Center)
- Nov. 25, 2025: Chesterfield, MO (The Factory)
- Nov. 26, 2025: Chicago, IL (House of Blues Chicago)
- Nov. 28, 2025: Oklahoma City, OK (Diamond Ballroom)
- Nov. 29, 2025: La Vista, NE (The Astro)
- Dec. 2, 2025: Kansas City, MO (Uptown Theater)
- Dec. 3, 2025: Denver, CO (Ogden Theatre)
- Dec. 6, 2025: Tempe, AZ (Marquee Theatre)
- Dec. 7, 2025: Anaheim, CA (House of Blues Anaheim)
- Dec. 12, 2025: Everett, WA (Unwrapped: An Acoustic Holiday)
- Jun. 11, 2026: Nickelsdorf, Austria (Nova Rock 2026)
