The members of Metallica, the first band to perform on all seven continents, have set their eyes on a new globe: the Sphere in Las Vegas. The group has confirmed that it will perform eight shows at the venue, a residency it has dubbed Life Burns Faster (a lyric from “Master of Puppets”), in the fall. The concerts, grouped in two-night sets, will take place Oct. 1 and 3, 15 and 17, 22 and 24, and 29 and 31. Like the band’s “No Repeat Weekends,” Metallica promise unique set lists, including live staples and surprises, between each of the concerts in the two-night sets.
“About 12 seconds into the opening night of Sphere with U2 back in ’23, I thought, ‘We have to do this; it’s completely uncharted territory!’ drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement. “This residency gives us another chance to reinvent how we interact with our fans in a live setting. We are beyond excited to share this with the world in six months time, and way fuckin’ psyched to go next level!”
Last August, Howard Stern attempted to wrest news of a Metallica Sphere residency during an interview with Ulrich. At the time, the drummer said the group had been considering the idea, but nothing was yet “etched in stone.” “It’s something that we’re looking at, at some point, when the 2026 tour is done,” Ulrich said. “I’m not going to bullshit you: I would fucking love to do it, let there be no question about it. It’s not signed, sealed, and delivered, but speaking to me and asking my opinion, I would fucking love to do it.”
During the same interview, Ulrich refused to confirm a residency, “but I’m not going to deny it, because we’re all such fans of this venue.” He went on to tell Stern that the band’s managers and production staff had visited the Sphere and checked it out and added that he was at the Sphere the night it opened with U2’s residency in 2023. “When they took that stage, I wanted to see it for myself before I saw it on YouTube or read about it,” he said. “I was there, like everybody else that was there that night, I was completely blown away, and felt that was the beginning of another chapter in live performances.”
Single tickets and “No Repeat Weekend” tickets both go on sale at 10 a.m. PT on March 6. Fans can pre-register for tickets and info about presales, enhanced experiences, and travel packages on the band’s website.
The band, which is still touring in support of its 2023 album, 72 Seasons, has concerts scheduled around Europe this summer. The last dates announced so far are a two-night stand at England’s London Stadium on July 5.
In the past year, Metallica performed at Ozzy Osbourne’s final concert and a small gig in the Hamptons to promote their SiriusXM radio station. But they also have a track record for playing big concerts, like the Antarctica show that capped their seven-continent tour, gigs with the San Francisco Symphony, and the spectacle performances that served as the basis for their Through the Never IMAX concert film.
Since U2 christened the Sphere, which features giant wraparound 16K screens and a bespoke “immersive” sound system, it’s become a go-to destination for big bands to set up shop for residencies. Currently, Eagles have a handful of dates scheduled there. In the past, Phish, Dead & Company, Kenny Chesney, the Zac Brown Band, and the Backstreet Boys have all performed Sphere residencies. The rest of the year ahead will see Illenium, No Doubt, Carín Leon, and Phish again at the Sphere.
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