Wes Borland Pays Subtle Tribute to James Hetfield’s Iconic Guitar During Metallica Show in Toronto

Wes Borland Pays Tribute to James Hetfield’s Iconic ‘EET FUK’ Guitar at Metallica’s Toronto Show

On April 26th, Limp Bizkit kicked off their run of support dates with Metallica at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON. This marks the beginning of a series of special shows where the nü-metal mainstays join Metallica on stage for the first time in over two decades, following their shared stint on the 2003 ‘Summer Sanitarium Tour.’

Limp Bizkit, who have long expressed their admiration for Metallica, have been incorporating nods to the metal legends into their live performances throughout recent months. One such tribute has been a partial cover of Metallica’s iconic 1986 track “Master of Puppets.” Guitarist Wes Borland has also performed a unique rendition of Metallica’s instrumental classic “Orion” during earlier shows this year.

At the Toronto show, Borland took things a step further—but in a more understated fashion. His guitar featured the phrase “EET PHO,” a playful homage to James Hetfield’s famously customized ESP MX220 guitar from 1987, which was marked with the crude yet legendary phrase “EET FUK.” Hetfield’s MX220 became one of his most recognized instruments during Metallica’s late ‘80s era.

The tribute was a blink-and-you-miss-it moment captured in a fan-filmed video. Borland himself responded to a viewer who caught the detail, commenting, “how did you even see that in the video?”—highlighting the subtlety of the gesture.

Limp Bizkit’s performance was energetic and filled with fan favorites, with a setlist that mixed their biggest hits with creative Metallica references:

Setlist – April 26, Toronto, ON:

• “Take A Look Around”

• “Hot Dog” (featuring a breakdown from Metallica’s “Creeping Death”)

• “Nookie”

• “Full Nelson”

• “My Generation”

• “Master Of Puppets” (partial Metallica cover)

• “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle)”

• “My Way”

• “Dad Vibes”

• “Faith” (George Michael cover)

• “Break Stuff”

The fusion of genres and reverence for metal history created a memorable opening set that resonated with both Limp Bizkit and Metallica fans alike.

Remaining Limp Bizkit x Metallica Dates:

• May 3 – Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium

• May 23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field

• June 6 – Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium

• June 20 – Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s Stadium

• June 27 – Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High

This rare pairing of nü-metal and thrash icons continues to bridge generations of heavy music fans—and with surprises like Borland’s tribute, fans have even more reason to keep their eyes open at every show.