Metallica show draws record crowd at Berlin's iconic Olympic Stadium

A record 94,000 fans attended a concert by US band Metallica at Berlin's Olympic Stadium on Saturday.

The veteran rockers said Saturday's crowd was the largest ever seen at the Olympiastadion, which has a regular capacity of 73,800 spectators during football games.

Organizers were able to accommodate more fans on Saturday evening by strategically placing the stage in the centre of the stadium, meaning all stands could be used.

The stage was set up as ring in the crowd, allowing fans with top-tier tickets to get close enough to the band to high-five them.

Four-man Metallica stepped onto the stage shortly after 8 pm (1800 GMT), delivering hit after hit for two hours including tracks from their latest album "72 Seasons," as well as all-time favourites like "Nothing Else Matters" and "Enter Sandman."

Thousands of fans sang along when Metallica played "Sonne," in a nod to German metal band Rammstein.

Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann was at the centre of serious allegations of sexual misconduct some three years ago. Several women made accusations against him, some of them anonymously.

Lindemann rejected the allegations. In August 2023, the Berlin public prosecutor's office dropped its investigation into the star.

Metallica have been on their M72 World Tour for over three years, having previously played several concerts in Germany's Hamburg in 2023 and 2024.

Following two gigs in Frankfurt, the Berlin concert marked the end of the German leg for the band.