SXSW is an annual festival in Austin, Texas that brings signed bands and unsigned bands together. The unsigned bands looking for a shot at the elusive glory that has gobbled up so many before them...a chance to become SIGNED recording artists. BLARGH! Who wants to be signed in this day an age. Ok, enough about that.

Metallica played as a "band from Norway looking to be signed." James Hetfield announced to the crowd of 2,100, "We're a young band from Norway and we want to get signed,"

Metallica played for about an hour racing through their classics and some new Death Magnetic songs. As the AP put it eloquently,

"With more than 50 million albums sold, Metallica has probably outsold the other 1,900-plus bands at SXSW combined."

They are right, I think Metallica is the largest band to ever play SXSW, but then again there are only a handful of acts more popular and have sold more than Metallica (The Beatles, AC/DC, to name a few)

There are pictures and more about Guitar Hero: Metallica (the reason Metallica played SXSW), in this article.