The band ripped through a 16-song set of choice cuts and rare gems
Last night in Las Vegas, the mighty Metallica launched their massive residency at Sphere. The group kicked off their first show at the state-of-the-art concert venue with a blistering rendition of “Battery,“ the opening track of their 1986 magnum opus Master of Puppets. The landmark album celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year, and it seemed fitting that the band would use “Battery” to break into new territory four decades later. From there, it was a barrage of huge hits and rare gems set against a stunning, larger-than-life production big enough for a band as big as Metallica.
The hefty 16-song set included hits like “Creeping Death,” “Sad But True,” “The Memory Remains,” “Seek & Destroy,” and more. Metallica didn’t stick to the script completely, though. They dig deep into their catalog and pulled out some deep cuts like “The Shortest Straw” and “Ride the Lightning.” They also played “…And Justice for All” – the title track to their 1988 masterpiece – for the first time since 2014.
Just over half way through the show, Metallica performed their instrumental track “The Call of Ktulu.” They dedicated the song to bassist Cliff Burton. Last week marked the 40 years since Burton’s tragic death in a tour bus accident on September 27, 1986.
“‘The Call of Ktulu’ for you, Las Vegas, in honor of our fallen brother, Mr. Clifford Lee Burton,” frontman James Hetfield said to the capacity crowd as the song was fading out. “We love you, and we miss you, brother.”
Metallica pulled material from nine of their eleven studio albums. Towards the end of the set, they played “Lux Æterna,” the speedy lead single from their latest effort, 2023’s 72 Seasons. They closed out Night 1 with their juggernaut “Master of Puppets.”
Watch the fan-filmed footage below, plus the full setlist from the first show.
Before the show, fans got to stroll through an incredible Metallica jaunt at the band’s pop-up. The walk-through experience includes pops, photos, artwork, gear, and much more. After soaking in all things Metallica, fans can shop for vinyl, apparel, and exclusive Metallica Sphere merch. The specially-curated Sphere line featured two posters – one for the weekend by Puis Calzada, and a specific print for Night 1 (October 1) by Landon Armstrong – which can be seen below. A poster for Night 2 will be revealed on Saturday.
Check out a video of the experience below.
After much anticipation, Metallica announced their Life Burns Faster residency at Sphere in Las Vegas back in March. The band initially announced 8 concerts at the revolutionary venue, joining the likes of U2, Eagles, Dead & Company, and more. The run will take place in October and will continue the No Repeat Weekend tradition that began with the 2023 kick-off of the band’s M72 World Tour, with no songs repeated on each Thursday and Saturday throughout the course of the run.
Shortly after the announcement, the band added 16 news shows due to unprecedented demand, stretching the run into 2027.
Metallica’s standing at the vanguard of new and unique live experiences has seen the band play to millions of fans across all seven continents in every shape and size of venue imaginable. Their current M72 World Tour has played to more than 4 million fans from Europe and North America to the Pacific Rim and Middle East since its spring 2023 kick-off, its performances and production universally hailed as among the best of Metallica’s 40-plus years of traversing the globe.
The band’s Sphere residency will see live staples and surprises spanning the Metallica catalog enhanced by the venue’s immersive technologies that will allow fans to experience the sound and fury of the band’s live performance in new experiential dimensions. Whether you’ve seen Metallica from the upper reaches of a stadium or arena, at an intimate club or theater gig or from the famed Snake Pit surrounded by the 360-degree M72 stage, Sphere’s technology, including the world’s highest resolution LED display that wraps up, over and around the audience; Sphere Immersive Sound, which delivers audio with unmatched clarity and precision to every guest; and multi-sensory 4D technology, will present a wholly unique and entirely new Metallica experience for all who attend — including James, Lars, Kirk and Robert.
Metallica co-founder and drummer Lars Ulrich stated, “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!’ 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!”
In addition to their Sphere shows, Metallica have confirmed a series of new North American stadium dates that extend the band’s massive M72 World Tour into 2027. Having played 99 shows in 26 countries since its April 2023 kick-off, the monstrous M72 World Tour will resume May 8, 2027 at BC Place in Vancouver – hitting a dozen new cities for the first time on this run throughout the American southwest, midwest and beyond – and will conclude June 19, 2027 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
Check out the full tour itinerary HERE, plus a link to grab tickets.
From its launch in 2023 through its most recent two-night engagement July 3 and 5, 2025 at London Stadium, Metallica’s record-breaking M72 World Tour has been celebrated as among the best of the band’s 40-plus years of traversing the globe, with nearly five million members of the Metallica family having attended. The M72 will resume following Metallica’s Life Burns Faster residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, which will run from October 1, 2026 through March 13, 2027.
Revisit our review and live photos from the band’s return to Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field last summer.
