According to RollingStone.com, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich attended "Rolling Stone & Rock the Vote Reception", an invitation-only VIP reception at Gibson Guitars' downtown Washington, D.C. showroom Monday afternoon (January 19) celebrating the Obama inauguration and the historic voter-registration drive that helped make it happen.

"It's unbelievable," Ulrich said of the electricity coursing through Washington. "It's amazing to be a part of the energy and goodwill. Everyone is so positive. It's all about the possibilities."

As previously reported, METALLICA played a rare pyrotechnics-free concert on January 15 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. According to a posting on the MetOnTour.com web site, which is described as "your FREE virtual backstage pass to every METALLICA show," the reason for the lack of pyro was that "something is happening [this] week [at the same venue] and they didn't want anything to go wrong."

First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden hosted a children's concert at the Verizon Center Monday night (January 19) honoring military families.