Tomorrowland 2025 Saved by Metallica After Devastating Main Stage Fire

Belgium’s iconic Tomorrowland festival narrowly avoided disaster this week after a massive fire destroyed its main stage, thanks to an unexpected assist from rock legends Metallica.

Just one day before Tomorrowland 2025 was set to open, the main stage suffered severe damage during a pyrotechnic test, with reports suggesting fireworks cannons may have triggered the blaze. Firefighters struggled to contain the fast-moving flames, citing the highly flammable materials used in the stage construction.

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Fears quickly grew that the festival could be cancelled or delayed. But in a dramatic overnight rescue mission, staging elements from Metallica’s M72 World Tour stored in Austria after the band’s European run were flown in to build a replacement setup.

As first reported by Belgian outlet HLN, the last-minute build was completed just in time, with Tomorrowland officially opening to the public at 2 PM on 18 July.

Headliner Martin Garrix shared his gratitude in an Instagram post featuring Metallica’s Lars Ulrich: “I can’t believe I’m actually typing this… but my set at Tomorrowland is still happening.”

The 2025 lineup includes dance giants like Armin van Buuren, Axwell, Eric Prydz, John Summit, FISHER, and NERVO. Meanwhile, Metallica are gearing up to bring their M72 Tour to Australia and New Zealand in November.

Tomorrowland once again proves why it’s the pinnacle of electronic music festivals, resilient, legendary, and full of surprises.