METALLICA have issued the following update:

"In addition to LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD will join us for the five shows in December!

While we are still enjoying our European summer vacation, a quick note here about the Fall shows in North America. Our French friends GOJIRA will be joining us, along with Lamb Of God, for shows September 14th - October 18th, while Lars' brethren from Denmark, VOLBEAT will hanging for the shows October 26th – December 12th.

One other quick thing - unfortunately Lamb Of God cannot continue on with us in December, so we'll have Machine Head out on those dates!

See you out there!"

Metallica recently issued the following:

"Wow... did they really invite us to be a part of these shows? We could not be more honored to be participating in a two night series of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York that will benefit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation.

Get this - we're playing with U2, ERIC CLAPTON and ARETHA FRANKLIN on October 30! Night number one on October 29th will include BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND, STEVIE WONDER, SIMON AND GARFUNKEL, PAUL SIMON and CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & FRIENDS... and our friends at the Hall of Fame tell us there will be more great artists, but that it's all still top secret.

Tickets will be available for purchase with an American Express card through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000 from 6 AM (PST) (9 AM EST) Monday, July 27th, through Sunday, August 2nd at 6 PM (PST) (9:00 PM EST).

Tickets will be on sale to the general public beginning Monday, August 3rd at 6 AM (PST) (9:00 AM EST). For more information about the event, ticket prices, and on sale information, check out rockhall25.com.

We hope that you can join us there for this amazing line-up!"

The following is the official press release:

Music's biggest stars - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, U2, Paul Simon, Metallica, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends, Simon and Garfunkel - will come together on October 29th and 30th at Madison Square Garden for two unique concerts celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The shows, presented by American Express, will be packed with guest stars and unique collaborations designed to tell the story of rock and roll. American Express Cardmembers have access to advance tickets through ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000 starting 9 a.m. on Monday, July 27th. Additional sponsorship support for the event is being provided by Bacardi.

Each night will feature entirely different line-ups, with artists performing their own songs and the music that inspired them -tracing the history of genres ranging from soul to hard rock. All proceeds raised will go towards creating a permanent endowment for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum.

"Twenty-five years ago a group led by legendary Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun created this foundation to recognize and celebrate the music and careers of artists whose music helped shape and define our generation" said Jann Wenner, Founder and Chairman of Rolling Stone and Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. "These once-in-a-lifetime concerts are designed to celebrate the artists and their music."

A creative team of Tom Hanks and his producing partner Gary Goetzman, Wenner, singer-songwriter Robbie Robertson, Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director Cameron Crowe and several others will work with the artists to curate the show through the live performances and filmed segments. Joel Gallen, the producer/director behind the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies and the MTV Movie Awards (1995-2006), will direct the show and oversee the 25th Anniversary Celebration along with the creative consultants.

This event is being presented in conjunction with the American Express Concert Series. American Express offers Cardmembers the exclusive opportunity to purchase advanced tickets to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation 25th Anniversary Celebration, prior to public. Tickets will be available for purchase with an American Express Card through ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000, from 9 a.m. Monday, July 27th, through Sunday, August 2nd at 9 PM. Tickets will be on sale to the general public beginning Monday, August 3rd at 9 AM.

The Rock and Roll of Fame Foundation and Museum's anniversary celebration will also extend beyond the concerts, with both a book and a deluxe DVD set to be released this fall. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The First 25 Years, chronicling 25 years of induction ceremonies, will be published by Collins Design (an imprint of HarperCollins) in September. In August, Time Life will issue a nine-DVD boxed set of highlights of the past induction ceremonies, featuring speeches and all-star performances, many that have never before seen by the public.

Performing on October 29th will be:

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Simon & Garfunkel

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends

Paul Simon

Stevie Wonder

Performing on October 30th will be:

Eric Clapton

Aretha Franklin

Metallica

U2

About the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established 25 years ago by legendary record executive Ahmet Ertegun and a group of music business executives to honor the artists that have defined rock and roll and have inspired and continue to inspire a generation. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is the nonprofit organization that exists to educate visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and continuing significance of rock and roll music. It carries out this mission both through its operation of a world-class museum designed by I.M. Pei in Cleveland, Ohio that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as educational programs.