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Metallica Perform Tom Jones’s 'Delilah' at Principality Stadium

The move tests the Welsh Rugby Union’s 2023 ban on choir performances by raising whether that restriction applies to commercial concerts.

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Metallica
Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo performs at Chase Center. The band’s recent show in Cardiff, Wales, included a local tribute with a complicated history: Tom Jones’ “Delilah,” a longtime Welsh rugby favorite that in 2023 was dropped from Principality Stadium matchday performances.

Overview

  • At their Cardiff show, Metallica played 'Delilah' during the band's regular 'Kirk and Rob Doodle' on Sunday, June 28, with bassist Robert Trujillo leading vocals and the crowd joining the chorus.
  • The song has a long history as a Welsh rugby singalong and was removed from Principality Stadium’s halftime playlist in 2015 before the WRU in 2023 banned choir performances because the lyrics depict domestic violence.
  • Metallica’s doodle segment is a recurring in-set tradition where Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo cover an artist tied to the tour city, which explains the choice to pay tribute to Welsh star Tom Jones.
  • Reports differ on whether the WRU restriction, announced for rugby internationals, legally covers commercial concerts and there has been no public sign the union enforced the ban against the Metallica performance.
  • The band’s All Within My Hands foundation made a post-show donation to Cardiff Foodbank that outlets reported in varying amounts, and the gift was described as helping the food bank replenish supplies and provide meals.