Metal Up Your Podcast - All Things Metallica

Austin Manning is a die-hard Metallica fan based in New York City. He's the chapter head of NYC Attitude, a black ticket holder, has traveled the world seeing the band, and won meet and greets. Austin is also a black/trans man. Austin reached out about having a conversation with us about his experience in the metal community in the hopes that it would give a unique perspective, build empathy and inspire other people of color or in the LGBT community to be themselves and know they aren't alone. With everything happening in the world right now in respect to racial injustice and the ongoing fight for people of color to be treated fairly, we thought this was a conversation worth having. We talk through Austin's upbringing in Dallas, the first time he heard Metallica, attending both Orion festivals, traveling to Vegas and seeing the boys at the Apollo. His experience as a black ticket holder, meeting the band, standing on stage with Metallica, what it's like being one of a few black/trans people in a predominantly