Belle Isle bustles with preparations for Orion Music + More, the Metallica-led rock festival that will take over a southern stretch of the Detroit park Saturday and Sunday with more noise than the Grand Prix.
Lighting towers, tents and other fixtures dot the grounds, where crew members zip on golf carts between five stages, Brian McCollum reports in the Free Press.
"cross the way, Metallica members James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo gathered with Detroit city officials and others for an afternoon media conference at the tented Sanitarium Stage, which will host dubstep DJs.
"You guys needed your grass cut on this island,” cracked lead singer Hetfield. “That’s why we came out.”
He and Trujillo had arrived in Detroit on Wednesday, heading to Comerica Park to catch the evening’s Tigers game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The second annual festival's publicity team staged impromptu ticket drop-offs at local landmarks, alerting fans to locations via the festival’s online Instagram page. Giveaways continue around town Friday.
Earlier coverage: Live, Wow: Orion Fest Includes Gary Grimshaw, Detroit's Iconic Poster Artist, June 6
