Metallica have completed the first show of their eagerly anticipated Life Burns Faster residency with a retina-searing display at the revolutionary Sphere in Las Vegas.
“It’s gonna be challenging,” drummer Lars Ulrich said in July. “It’s overwhelming and fucking intimidating. But hopefully when we step out on stage that first night, we’ll have it somewhat together.”
That mission, it seems, has been accomplished, and the band, who first announced an eight-date schedule at the 20,000-capacity venue in February before swiftly adding another 16 nights, kicked off their first set with the classic Master Of Puppets opener Battery.
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Their 16-song set was heavy on staples such as Creeping Death (deployed as the second song), Sad But True, Wherever I May Roam, Nothing Else Matters and The Call Of Ktulu, the latter dedicated to late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton.
But the band also dropped in a few 21st century anthems, including Now That We’re Dead, The Day The Never Comes and Lux Æterna.
They rounded off the show with a run of classics, including Ride The Lightning, The Memory Remains, Seek & Destroy and Master Of Puppets.
While there were no surprises in the set, they did dust down the title track of 1988’s …And Justice For All for the first time since 2014.
Last month, Metallica announced 12 new North American shows on their ongoing M72 tour, which began in March 2023. Full dates – including the Las Vegas dates – are listed below.
Battery
Creeping Death
Now That We’re Dead
Sad but True
The Shortest Straw
Wherever I May Roam
The Day That Never Comes
…And Justice for All
Kirk and Rob Doodle (Sleepwalk My Life Away)
Nothing Else Matters
The Call of Ktulu
Lux Æterna
Ride the Lightning
The Memory Remains
Seek & Destroy
Master of Puppets
Oct 01: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 03: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 08: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 10: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 15: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 17: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 22: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 24: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 29: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Oct 31: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Nov 05: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Nov 07: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Nov 19: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT
Nov 21: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT
Jan 28: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Jan 30: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Feb 04: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Feb 06: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Feb 18: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Feb 20: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Feb 25: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Feb 27: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Mar 04: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Mar 06: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Mar 11: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
Mar 13: Las Vegas Sphere, NV
May 08: Vancouver BC Place, BC
May 13: San Diego Snapdragon Stadium, CA
May 18: El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium, TX
May 22: San Antonio Alamodome, TX
May 26: Fayetteville Razorback Stadium, AR
May 29: Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium, MO
Jun 02: Raleigh Carter-Finley Stadium, NC
Jun 05: Indianapolis Lucas Oil Stadium, IN
Jun 08: Buffalo Highmark Stadium, NY
Jun 12: Madison Camp Randall Stadium, WI
Jun 15: Cleveland Huntington Bank Field, OH
Jun 19: Salt Lake City Rice-Eccles Stadium, UT