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Metallica‘s “Enter Sandman” still rung out during Virginia Tech’s opening game during the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, despite a rule preventing it from being played.

As The Roanoke Times explains, even though Virginia Tech was hosting the game at its home Cassell Coliseum, the NCAA defines tournament matches as “neutral,” meaning the arena isn’t allowed its “team-preferred music.” That includes “Enter Sandman,” which Virginia Tech usually plays during home games right before tip-off.

However, that didn’t stop the fans in the stands from singing the metal classic. In footage shared by The Roanoke Times, you can hear the crowd belt out the opening verse of “Enter Sandman” as the game begins.

By the way, Virginia Tech won their first two tournament games and advanced to the Sweet 16.

“Enter Sandman” will also be sung in stadiums across the globe when Metallica launches their M72 world tour, which begins in Europe in April before kicking off in the U.S. in August. They’ll be supporting their new album, 72 Seasons, dropping April 14.

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KISS’ Gene Simmons recently announced a chance for U.K. fans to record a song with him at Abbey Road Studios — for a price, of course. Well, now he’s offering U.S. fans a similar experience.

To coincide with KISS’ final shows ever at New York’s Madison Square Garden on December 1 and 2, Simmons is giving lucky fans a chance to join him at Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios December 4, 5 and 6.

For a little less than $6,000, a fan and a guest will get to spend the day in the studio with Simmons and record a song with him, which they’ll be able to take home. They’ll also get to hear Gene share stories about his career, snag some items from his personal KISS collection and take a photo with him. Plus Simmons will sign two of the purchaser’s personal items. 

Simmons notes that no musical experience is necessary to take part in this special package, but “if you play an instrument, we may use that in the recording.”

More info can be found at genesimmonselectricladystudios.com.

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Sir Rod Stewart was forced to press pause on the Australian leg of his tour due to an unexpected illness.

He took to Instagram Saturday to share a statement that his scheduled performance at Mt Duneed Estate in Geelong would not proceed as planned. The show was part of the venue’s A Day on the Green festival, where the singer was set to perform alongside Cyndi Lauper and Jon Stevens.

They, along with Stewart, shared the joint announcement from Live Nation, saying the show “will not go ahead, due to illness.”

The announcement, which was captioned with a broken heart emoji, also promised that fans would hear “a further announcement regarding the concert arrangements … early next week.”

Stewart explained why he had to pull out of the festival in a follow-up post. “I am absolutely downhearted that I’m disappointing my fans,” the statement began. It continued, “Late this morning I was advised that I have a viral infection and my throat is too irritated to sing.”

“I’m only human and sometimes get sick just like you do. My greatest joy is performing for you, so I’m doing everything I can to get on the mend and back on stage,” the statement closed.

So far no announcement has been made regarding his scheduled Tuesday show at AEC Arena in Adelaide.

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U2 announced earlier this year they would be headlining a new Las Vegas residency this fall, but their drummer, Larry Mullen Jr., would be missing it in order to continue to recover from surgery. Fans were not happy about the news, and it turns out bassist Adam Clayton has some reservations, as well.

“I don’t know what it’s going to be like,” Clayton tells Billboard. “I haven’t played with anyone else before. I know playing with Larry Mullen, he always made me sound good, and that was half the job done.” 

But Clayton notes having Bram van den Berg fill in for Mullen “might just keep us on our toes. I’m sure we’ll find our groove.” 

And to assure fans things will be OK, Clayton offers, “I think Bram is a great player. He’s got a great reputation. He’s a lovely man. If the musician’s heart is in the right place, the music follows without too much difficulty.”

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On This Day March 20, 1969…

John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who met in 1966 and became romantically involved in 1968, got married in Gibraltar.

They honeymooned in Paris, Amsterdam and Montreal, staging a Bed-In-For-Peace in the latter two cities. Lennon documented the whole honeymoon experience in the Top 10 single “The Ballad of John and Yoko,” recorded with help from Paul McCartney.

The couple welcomed their only son, Sean Taro Ono Lennon, in October of 1975, and remained married until Lennon’s murder on December 8, 1980. They did separate for 18 months between 1973 and 1975, in which Lennon dated May Pang. That time was referred to as Lennon’s “Lost Weekend.”

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Foreigner is heading to Las Vegas for their residency at The Venetian next week, and for frontman Kelly Hansen, these shows are a totally different experience than the ones they play when they are out on tour. 

“The Vegas residency is a casino, and in that sense it’s different because people are coming from all of the country, and in some circumstances all of the world, to one venue to come see you,” he says. “Which is an unusual and unique occurrence for us, which means we’re having a much broader audience at those shows.”

He adds, “I mean, these people make arrangements and spend a lot of time and money and effort to come see us play, so it’s really important that we’re there and not sick, and we’re taking care of ourselves and doing a good show.” 

And there are certainly some things he loves about playing Vegas. “For us it’s really great because we can just walk in from the hotel, and we’re very rested, we’re ready for an energetic show,” Hansen shares. “Sometimes, I have to admit, here and there, you know, after five or six shows in a week, that last one you’re going, ‘Oh how am I going to do this show tonight?’” 

Foreigner’s Las Vegas residency kicks off Friday, March 24. A complete list of Foreigner dates can be found at foreigneronline.com.

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Rick Allen, the drummer of Def Leppard, issued a statement exclusively to ABC News on Sunday in response to being violently assaulted in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last week.

“Thank you everyone for your overwhelming support. Your love and prayers are truly helping. My wife Lauren [Monroe] was thankfully not with me at the time of the incident. We are together now, and working on recovering in a safe space,” the statement said, adding they are focused on “healing for everyone involved.”

“We ask you to join us in our effort to move from confusion and shock to compassion and empathy,” the statement continued. “We understand this act of violence can be triggering for so many people. To all of the fans, veterans and first responders in our global community, we are thinking of you all. Together with love, we can all get through these difficult times.

Police arrested Ohio teenager Max Hartley, 19, after he allegedly attacked the 59-year-old drummer outside of the Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale on March 13, a day after the band played at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel, according to authorities.

Allen, who lost his arm in an accident in 1984 and has played the drums with one arm ever since, hit his head after Hartley allegedly came up from behind and threw him to the ground, according to a police report reviewed by ABC News.

A woman who reportedly tried to interfere in the incident was also allegedly attacked by Hartley, who began hitting her and dragging her by her hair, according to police.

Hartley was caught shortly after the incident and has since been charged with four counts of criminal mischief, a felony; one count of misdemeanor battery and one count of aggravated battery, according to a Fort Lauderdale police incident report.

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Paul McCartney was celebrated with a musical tribute in New York earlier this week, as previously reported. While he wasn’t there to see it himself, it certainly appears that he approved of what went down.

The Music of Paul McCartney, a benefit show put on by New York City entrepreneur Michael Dorf, featured performances by Patti Smith, Graham Nash, Nancy Wilson, Wings guitarist Denny Laine, Bruce Hornsby, Natalie Merchant and more. McCartney took to social media to show his appreciation. 

The Beatles legend shared the Rolling Stone article about the concert, adding the comment, “Last night’s tribute concert made this boy from Liverpool very happy.” 

And it was all for a good cause, with the concert raising money for organizations that provide music education programs and opportunities for underserved youth.

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Bono and The Edge are used to playing big stadiums and arenas, but they just took over a much smaller space. To promote U2’s latest release, Songs of Surrender, the pair stopped by NPR’s offices to perform a Tiny Desk concert. And they certainly seemed to enjoy themselves. 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers performed four songs from 2000’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind: “Beautiful Day,” “In A Little While,” “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of,” which Bono said was written for the late INXS frontman, Michael Hutchence, and “Walk On,” which they rewrote for, and dedicated to, the people of Ukraine. 

But Bono and The Edge weren’t alone for the performance. They were joined by a teen choir from Washington, D.C.’s, Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Songs of Surrender, featuring 40 reworked and rerecorded U2 classics, is out now.

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Chrissie Hynde is the latest female artist to call out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Following Courtney Love’s tweet and op-ed in The Guardian blasting the lack of female representation in the Hall of Fame, Hynde shared her thoughts — and let’s just say she’s not a fan. 

“If anyone wants my position in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame they are welcome to it,” Hynde, who was inducted in 2005 with The Pretenders, writes on Facebook. “I don’t even wanna be associated with it. It’s just more establishment backslapping. I got in a band so I didn’t have to be part of all that.” 

Hynde says when she found out The Pretenders were to be inducted she was living in Rio and “my heart sank because I knew I’d have to go back for it as it would be too much of a kick in the teeth to my parents if I didn’t. I’d upset them enough by then, so it was one of those things that would bail me out from years of disappointing them. (like moving out of the USA and being arrested at PETA protests and my general personality).” 

Neil Young was on hand to induct The Pretenders at the annual gala and even performed with them. Hynde says that was the only good thing about the evening. “The whole thing was, and is, total bollocks,” she offers. “It’s absolutely nothing to do with rock ‘n’ roll and anyone who thinks it is is a fool.”

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