LARS ULRICH

Rocker and filmmaker Dave Grohl thought he was making a nostalgic documentary about the formative days of famous musicians.

Rock bands playing arena concerts in front of tens of thousands of fans will likely be an indication that the coronavirus crisis has subsided in earnest, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said Tuesday at CNBC's Evolve Summit. However, it might be a while before the shows return from their pandemic-induced pause, Ulrich said, estimating it could be a year "at the earliest." "As we unfortunately have to come to grips with, the last thing that will happen are big concerts, you know 20,000 people in an arena, 50,000 people in a stadium," Ulrich told journalist and CNBC contributor Kara Swisher. Live sporting events are much easier to bring back than concerts, he added, given they are "slightly more orderly" than a sold-out rock show tends to be. On Saturday, the band also will play a livestreamed concert that will benefit its charitable foundation.

Kevin WinterMetallica is postponing its upcoming tour in Australia and New Zealand until its lead vocalist is healthy again, the legendary heavy metal band announced Friday. A Note from Lars, Kirk, and Rob We are truly sorry to inform our fans and friends that we must postpone our upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand. (1/6) Metallica (@Metallica) September 28, 2019The tour was scheduled to begin in Perth, Australia, on October 17 and end on November 2 in Auckland, New Zealand. "We appreciate your understanding and support for James & thank you for being a part of our Metallica family." He went into rehab in 2001 and has since expressed his desire to stay sober.