Who Was the OTHER Metal Artist That Played the Olympics?

Yes, much was made when Gojira became the first metal band to play the Olympic Opening Ceremony, but they weren't the only metal musician with ties to this year's games. Another metal musician rather stealthily played during the closing ceremonies. That would be Cult of Luna drummer Thomas Hedlund.

While Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and actor Tom Cruise seemed to garner most of the headlines for their Olympic Closing Ceremony performances and appearances, Hedlund popped up in his other capacity as the touring drummer for French alt-rock band Phoenix.

This was no last minute addition either, as Hedlund has been a touring and session member of Phoenix since 2005. The fact that he's also played with Cult of Luna bringing their heavy sludge metal beats to the forefront since 2003 shows his versatility.

In addition to those two well established bands, Hedlund also plays with Swedish indie rock outfit Deportees and has previously performed with The Perishers and Khoma.

About Phoenix

The French indie-rock band Phoenix formed in 1995, with frontman Thomas Mars handling the drumming and percussion on their albums. But with a need for Mars to be at the front of their live performances, they've employed Cult of Luna's Thomas Hedlund behind the kit for their concerts since 2005.

The band saw their star rise over three albums in their native France in the early 2000s before they became a global sensation on their fourth studio album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, in 2009. That album spawned the smash alt-rock singles "Lisztomania" and "1901." In the years since, they've scored radio play off the singles "Entertainment," "Trying to Be Cool" and "J-Boy."

Phoenix actually receive prominent screen time over the Olympic Closing Ceremony in France, performing a set that include "Love Like a Sunset Part II," "Lisztomania," "Nightcall" (with Kavinsky), "If I Ever Feel Better / Funky Squaredance" (with VannDa and Noe Efira), "Playground Love" (with Air), "Tonight" (with Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig) and "1901."

READ MORE: Who Chose the Song Gojira Played at the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony?

What's Next for Thomas Hedlund?

Cult of Luna last released their album, The Long Road North, in 2022 and appear to have concluded their touring for the record in the fall of 2023. Phoenix, meanwhile, will use the Olympic appearance to springboard into more shows in Japan, France and the U.K. for the remainder of the month. You can get ticketing info for Phoenix shows through their website.