The Show Goes On! One of The Biggest EDM Festivals In The World, Tomorrowland, Was At Risk Of Having To Cancel A Day Before Gates Opened Because Of A Massive Fire. But Thanks To, (Checks Notes), Metallica Donating Their Tour Setup, The Festival Has Been Saved!

Rock Revival - On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at around 5 pm local time in Boom, Belgium, the “Orbyz” Mainstage caught fire during fireworks testing and pyrotechnics checks. The blaze engulfed nearly the entire main stage — destroying its elaborate set and structure. Miraculously, there were no injuries. The fire occurred before ticket-holders arrived; around 1,000 workers and some nearby residents were evacuated, and firefighters managed to prevent broader damage.

In a roundabout way, heavy metal legends Metallica have saved the day. As confirmed by Tomorrowland spokesperson Debby Wilmsen, elements from the band’s WorldWired stage and touring rig are being used to build a new stage so that the festival can go on as planned. Metallica’s setup, which was built by the Belgian production company Stageco, was being stored in Austria after the band’s European trek on their previous WorldWired Tour. Since it is a touring rig, the set is designed to be set up in under 24 hours. With time being of the utmost importance, the fact that Tomorrowland can get this set built and still start the festival on time makes it a no-brainer option. The gear was reportedly air-lifted to Belgium.

Here's a feel good story for everybody. Even the hardcore metal heads who love Metallica and think that anything even slightly resembling electronic dance music is gay. 

This past Wednesday, Tomorrowland’s Orbyz Mainstage in Boom, Belgium (yes, the town is literally called Boom, you can’t make that up) went up in flames during a pyrotechnics test.

Thankfully, there were no injuries, but the mainstage but the mainstage was absolutely destroyed. As in ashes. Charred LED screens. Melted DJ decks. A crispy skeleton of what was supposed to be the crown jewel of the festival.

This was the fire. 

This was the remains.

At that point, Tomorrowland was staring down the barrel of total disaster. Imagine flying from Australia, Brazil, or Cleveland, to Belgium, only to be informed the festival went up in flames and there was nothing to see because things were cancelled.

Enter: Metallica.

"Masters of Puppets". "Enter Sandman". The kings of headbanging, black T-shirts, and making your uncle scream, “They just don’t make bands like this anymore!” True rock and roll legends. 

Turns out they had their entire WorldWired Tour stage rig sitting in a warehouse just 40 kilometers away in Austria. They offered up their entire setup. A multi-million-dollar stage built by Belgian production wizards StageCo. Because they’re Metallica. And they know what it means to keep the show alive. 

In a scene straight out of an EDM fever dream meets a rock-and-roll action movie, Metallica’s gear was airlifted in overnight from Austria. An army of workers, engineers, and probably a few very sweaty Belgian guys named Jan and Bart worked around the clock, demolishing the burned stage, rebuilding, and rewiring everything. They're actually still at work on things while the festival is going on…

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Really fucking incredible.

Somehow, thirty-six hours after that blazing fire, Tomorrowland opened its gates on time.

Unreal.

The only delay? Somehow only two hours for the mainstage acts. Which is crazy when you consider they were swapping out the backbone of their entire festival overnight. Which apparently no biggie when Metallica’s got your back.

Martin Garrix even jumped on Instagram, posting a photo with Lars Ulrich like a kid meeting Santa Claus at the mall-

I might be overreacting, but I'm seriously blown away by this. Behind the scenes, a cross-genre Avengers squad of festival organizers, stage crews, and metal legends pulled off a legit logistical miracle.

This had the potential to be an unmitigated disaster. But now there are lasers, bass drops, and 400,000 people losing their minds in a Belgian field.

If you were ever looking for proof that music transcends genre, that the spirit of the show must go on lives in both four-to-the-floor ravers and sweaty metalheads, then this is it.