Damage, Inc. Tour

The Damage, Inc. Tour was a concert tour by American thrash metal band Metallica in support of the band's third studio album, Master of Puppets. The name of the tour is taken from the last song on the album. It began on March 27, 1986 and ended on February 13, 1987. Metallica supported Ozzy Osbourne from March to August, headlined a string of U.S. dates between May 23 and June 7 with Armored Saint, and were the main act throughout the fall and winter with support from Anthrax and Metal Church. Roadie John Marshall, who also played guitar in "Metal Church", filled in for James Hetfield on rhythm guitar between July 27 and September 25 following a mid-tour skateboarding accident resulting in a broken arm. Hetfield, Cliff Burton and Kirk Hammett originally decided to dismiss Lars Ulrich upon completion of the tour, but plans were set aside upon the death of Burton on September 27, 1986 in a tour bus accident near Ljungby, Sweden while en route from Stockholm to Copenhagen, Denmark. Performances that were scheduled for October were postponed and the band hired a new bassist, Jason Newsted to complete the rest of the tour. Metallica also became the first band of the Big Four to cross the Iron Curtain, with two concerts in Katowice, Poland on February 10 and 11, 1987.