The Orion Music + More was a touring music festival created by American

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

/ heavy metal band

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

. On February 7, 2012, the band announced plans to launch the festival, which took place at

Bader Field Bader Field , also known as Atlantic City Municipal Airport, was a city-owned public-use general aviation airport located in Atlantic City, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. It was approximately one mile from the terminus of U.S. R ...

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...

on June 23 and 24, 2012. The second installment took place at Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan, on June 8 and 9, 2013. The festival was a financial disaster, which led to its cancellation after only two installments.

2013

It was announced that Belle Isle would be the site of the Orion Music + More Festival in 2013. On December 26, 2012, Detroit Councilman Ken Cockrel Jr. confirmed rumors that the city is in the process of confirming 2014 and 2015 as well to take place at Belle Isle. However, on December 2, 2013, it was announced that Metallica would be "taking a year off" from the festival in 2014. Every year, Metallica brings many bands and artists from many different genres to play at the Orion. In addition to the musical features, ''Orion Music and More'' had numerous additional attractions, including: "Custom Car + Motorcycle Show", Ulrich's speech at "Hit The Lights Films", Kirk's Crypt which contains his huge horror collection and the "Metallica Museum" (which featured classic Metallica guitars) among others.

2013 Lineup

38 bands and artists performed at the festival. Bands from a wide variety of genres, ranging from

and

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...

, even to

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...

moombahton Moombahton (, ) is an electronic dance music genre, derived from house music and reggaeton, that was created by American DJ and producer Dave Nada in Washington, D.C., in 2009. Nada coined the name as a portmanteau of "Moombah" (a track by Sur ...

dubstep Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken be ...

bass music Bass music is a term used to describe several genres of electronic dance music and hip hop music arising from the 1980s on, focusing on a prominent bass drum and/or bassline sound. As one source notes, there are "many different types of bass musi ...

and

experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...

, played throughout the weekend. Metallica did a surprise performance at the Damage Inc. Stage as ''dehaan'' and played entire ''

Kill 'Em All ''Kill 'Em All'' is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 25, 1983, through the independent label Megaforce Records. Metallica began by playing shows in local clubs in Los Angeles. They recorded several ...

'' album. The following evening they played different set-list, including songs such as "Carpe Diem Baby" and "

I Disappear "I Disappear" is a single (music), single by Metallica from the Music from and Inspired by Mission: Impossible 2, ''Mission: Impossible 2'' soundtrack, which released on May 9, 2000. The music and lyrics were written by James Hetfield and Lars U ...

" among Sunday's rarities. Aside from their performances, The Chili Peppers closed Saturday night's lineup in drummer

Chad Smith Chad Gaylord Smith (born October 25, 1961) is an American musician who has been the drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Smith is also the drummer of the h ...

's home town with an hour and 45 minutes of mostly hits including a frenetic rendition of

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...

's " Higher Ground."

BUDWEISER ORION Stage

Fuel Stage

Damage Inc. Stage + Van's Vert Ramp

Frantic Stage

Sanitarium Stage

2012

In 2012, the first Orion festival was held at

. According to

Press of Atlantic City ''The Press of Atlantic City'' is the fourth-largest daily newspaper in New Jersey. Originally based in Pleasantville, it is the primary newspaper for southeastern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore. The newspaper designated market runs from Ware ...

, Metallica's Orion Music + More Festival sold 23,571 for shows June 23 and 24.

2012 Lineup

37 bands and artists performed at the festival. Bands from a wide variety of genres, ranging from

and

, even to

, and

, played throughout the weekend. Members of Metallica introduced some of the bands performing, including

Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Mike Muir. Muir is the only remaining original member of the band. Along with D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, and Stormtr ...

, where

Robert Trujillo Roberto Agustín Miguel Santiago Samuel Trujillo Veracruz (; born October 23, 1964) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Metallica since 2003. He first rose to prominence as the bassist of cr ...

was their bassist from 1989 to their breakup in 1995. Metallica headlined the festival on both days and performed two of their most critically acclaimed albums in their entirety (in reverse order): their 1984 album ''

Ride the Lightning ''Ride the Lightning'' is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at ...

'' on the Saturday night, and their 1991 eponymous fifth release on the Sunday night.

2013

2013 Lineup

BUDWEISER ORION Stage

Fuel Stage

Damage Inc. Stage + Van's Vert Ramp

Frantic Stage

Sanitarium Stage

2012

2012 Lineup

Orion Stage

Fuel Stage

Damage Inc. Stage

Frantic Stage

References

Further reading