Local H have been announced as the winners of Metallica’s local opener contest, in which a local band was voted upon by the masses to open five dates of Metallica’s massive summer stadium tour.

Local H are a fantastic band who certainly deserve to open for Metallica. Here’s the thing: by almost anyone’s definition they should not be considered a “local band.” Yeah, they have the word “local” in their band name, but that’s where it ends: they’ve been a band for over 20 years, they’ve released eight albums (three on major label Island Records), had moderate MTV and radio success with “Bound to the Floor” and have toured extensively all over the fucking place for the better part of two decades.

Surely this isn’t what Metallica or their handlers had in mind when they hatched this whole “local opener” idea. Shouldn’t someone organizing this contest have flagged Local H as not, in fact, a local band when nominating the initial round of bands to be voted upon? MS faves Black Fast also made it into the St. Louis round of voting — they’re on eOne and are also nationally known — so perhaps a little more homework was in order. Once Local H reached the final round it was pretty much a given they’d win, whatwith their national following to leverage for votes.

Then again, Local H (and Black Fast) would never in a million years have had an opportunity to open for Metallica otherwise, so maybe I’m overthinking this. But then AGAIN again, I think the whole idea of this contest was to give the opportunity to a band who never in a BILLION years would’ve had the chance. Something just doesn’t seem right about Local H winning… but hey, good on them, they beat the system!

Here’s where you’ll be able to see Local H open for Metallica, and below that their most popular song (which still gets airplay on alternative radio stations the nation over):

May 19 – Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium (also with Volbeat)

June 4 – St. Louis, MO – Busch Stadium (also with Volbeat)

June 14 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome (also with Avenged Sevenfold)

June 16 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Stadium (also with Avenged Sevenfold)

June 18 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field (also with Avenged Sevenfold)

[via Metal Insider]