El Paso Welcomed Metallica With Silver and Lightning

El Paso has found some pretty cool ways to welcome huge artists to the Sun Bowl over the years, but I don't know how we're ever going to top this one!

When Coldplay announced their shows the start lit up in a rainbow glow. When BTS came to town, the Star on the Mountain went purple. When Karol G took over the Sun Bowl, it glowed blue.

So when Metallica announced they were coming to El Paso, there was really only one appropriate choice: silver.

But while El Paso was busy lighting up the Star for Metallica, the sky decided it wanted in on the celebration too.

Metallica Is Coming to El Paso for KLAQ's 50th Birthday Bash

In case you missed the news, Metallica is officially headed back to El Paso!

The band will take over the Sun Bowl on May 18 as part of KLAQ's 50th Birthday Bash, with Limp Bizkit and Avatar joining them for one MASSIVE night in El Paso!

To celebrate the announcement, the El Paso Chamber lit the Star on the Mountain silver Wednesday night, continuing a pretty cool tradition we've seen when major artists make their way to the Sun Bowl.

Silver Star. Metallica. Pretty perfect already. Naturally, some of our favorite El Paso photographers captured some amazing shots, like Christian Churches.

Then a thunderstorm rolled into El Paso, and suddenly, the Metallica tribute got a whole lot more metal.

READ MORE: Metallica Will Headline the KLAQ Birthday Bash at Sun Bowl Stadium

El Paso Had Its Own Ride the Lightning Moment

As the silver Star glowed over El Paso, lightning began flashing across the sky- and the timing could not have been better.

With Metallica coming to town and the Star shining silver, seeing actual lightning streak across the sky immediately brought one thing to mind: "Ride the Lightning". You know the one:

Metallica released the iconic album in 1984, but for a few moments Wednesday night, El Paso got its own version- and El Paso photographer Miguel Vigil got an amazing photo!

Seriously. You couldn't plan this if you tried.

And one incredible lightning photo apparently wasn't enough, another amazing El Paso photographer, Aldo F., decided to capture the moment as well!

The Star was supposed to be the tribute to Metallica. Mother Nature just decided to add some special effects.

The Star and the Sky Lit Up for Metallica

Changing the color of the Star has become such a fun way for El Paso to celebrate some of the massive artists who come through the Sun Bowl; Coldplay, BTS and Karol G.

But Metallica may have gotten the most fitting backdrop yet. A silver Star. A dark El Paso sky. Lightning flashing in the background.

El Paso didn't just light the Star for Metallica, for one night, we literally got to Ride the Lightning.