Despite all odds, the annual ‘Tomorrowland‘ electronic dance music festival in Antwerp, Belgium has gone ahead this week, just days after the main stage was gutted by a fire. The elaborate main stage for the event went up in flames this past Wednesday, roughly 48 hours prior to the festival’s kickoff this weekend. The cause of the blaze is still being investigated.
However, as luck would have it, the elaborate stage production for thrash metal titans Metallica‘s recently concluded European touring was in storage in Austria and was offered up to save the festival. The necessary gear was airlifted in and has allowed the festival to establish a temporary main stage, with the event moving forward as planned.
Martin Garrix, one of the headliners of the event, publicly thanked Metallica for their assistance in helping get the festival back up and running, stating via social media:
“I can not believe I’m actually typing this… but my set at Tomorrowland is still happening!
massive love and a big shoutout to the incredible @tomorrowland team for pulling off miracles — and to @Metallica for coming through with the new stage partsbeyond excited to close the mainstage tonight. & this will hands down be the most unique Tomorrowland ever — and yes, I’ll be streaming it too.
lets make history.
WE UNITE”
BREAKING: A fire has broken out on the @tomorrowland mainstage, one day ahead of the festival. pic.twitter.com/kXXYgYnmI9
— We Rave You (@weraveyou) July 16, 2025
