Matthew Leimkuehler

mleimkuehler@dmreg.com

Get ready to head bang, Iowans. Metal behemoth Metallica is returning to the Hawkeye state this summer.

Set to take place June 9 at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Metallica will bring its electric live show to Iowa as part of the "WorldWired 2017" tour. Tickets go on sale April 21 at 10 a.m. via ticketmaster.com.

The show is scheduled to be a benefit for the Dallas Clark and Ashton Kutcher-founded Native Fund, a non-profit organization helping Iowans during disaster relief. California-born metal act Avenged Sevenfold is set to also perform and hard rock group Volbeat is slated to open.

"'Newton, Iowa?' You ask... 'that’s a new one!' We’re excited to announce that the WorldWired tour will make a stop at the Iowa Speedway in Newton to play a special benefit show for the Native Fund on Friday, June 9," a post on Metallica's webesite said. "Our tour mates Avenged Sevenfold and Volbeat will join us at the NASCAR track nestled between Cedar Rapids and Des Moines."

Metallica performed at the newly opened US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis last year, a show that Ryan Patrick, marketing manager at Des Moines rock station Lazer 103.3 said sold out in about 10 minutes. Patrick said stadium performances, like what is anticipated at the Iowa Speedway, typically come with a larger spectacle than an arena show. Metallica has recently brought the "WorldWired" tour to stadiums such as Soldier Field in Chicago and AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

The venue, which opened in 2006, is set to hold 37,000 people for the event, organizers said, and about 15,000 general admission floor tickets will be for sale. Pre-sale tickets go on sale Wednesday for Metallica's fan club, "Fifth Members," at 9 a.m.

"This will end up being the biggest Metallica show ever in Iowa," Patrick said.

The Native Fund last brought a stadium-sized concert to Iowa last August, when the organization brought leading country singer Blake Shelton to Kinnick Stadium for the first-ever concert at the Iowa City landmark. About 45,000 people attended the event, which also featured Thomas Rhett and Big and Rich.

Speaking exclusively with the Register last week, Kutcher said The Native Fund is focused on continuing to raise funds.

"For us right now, it's about raising a significant reserve capital fund for disaster relief," Kutcher said in the interview. "And then really identifying for ourselves what constitutes disaster relief. Who actually needs disaster relief? And how do (we) build this so it's not some wonky entitlement plan that grows and gets sloppy? ... This is all about helping people. It's not about doing for people."

THE FULL INTERVIEW: Kutcher discusses the Native Fund and fatherhood

Along with natural disasters, the Native Fund aims to aid youth battling life-threatening illness and post-9/11 veterans.

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring a world-class band like Metallica to the people of Iowa, all while raising money for The Native Fund,” Clark, a former Super Bowl-winning NFL tight end, said in a news release. “This show is going to rock and bring even more awareness to what we are doing at The Native Fund. It’s truly a win-win.”

Known for world-renowned metal hits such as "Enter Sandman," "Master of Puppets" and "One," Metallica released its 10th studio album, "Hardwired ... to Self-Destruct" in Nov. 2016. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album sales chart. Metallica last performed in Des Moines in 2008 at Wells Fargo Arena and has performed in Iowa 13 times, according to metallica.com.

A staple in modern metal, Avenged Sevenfold heads to Newton in support of 2016 release "The Stage." The band's seventh studio album, "The Stage" debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. Avenged Sevenfold found mainstream success in 2005 with the acclaimed "City of Evil" album, which boasts the singles "Bat Country," Seize the Day" and "Beast and the Harlot."

More information can be found at iowaspeedway.com.