Metallica brought heavy metal thunder to the Las Vegas Sphere last night as they became the first metal band to play the futuristic venue.
The band kickstarted their Life Burns Faster residency last night (October 1) and they didn’t hold back, pairing a hit-laden set with incredible visuals.
Benefitting from pivoting to digital modelers back in 2013, they haven’t had to tweak their backline like John Mayer did last year – who had a crafty solution to the venue’s strict noise policy. As such, they could focus on the performance, and it was full of slamming metal anthems.
From a rambunctious Battery – which saw the band’s iconic Master of Puppets reimagined in full immersive glory on the Sphere – to the album’s title track, which rounded out the night, this was Metallica unlike you’ve never seen them before.
Other big hits included Creeping Death, Sad But True, and The Memory Remains, with Kirk Hammett and bass player Robert Trujillo afforded the chance to have noodly solos at the halfway point.
The set focussed heavily on their most robust tracks, while proto-thrash-prog stonker ...And Justice for All got its first airing since 2014. Modern Metallica was represented by Now That We’re Dead, The Day The Never Comes and Lux Æterna.
And Metallica made the most of the Sphere's visual prowess. The set had everything from rollercoasters hurtling through city locations, to leviathan hourglass sand timers and immersive, flame-licked churches emblazoned on the screen behind them throughout the night.
Guitars spotted during the show include James Hetfield’s signature ESP Snakebyte, and a replica of his prized 1980 Electra Flying V. Meanwhile, a black Gibson Flying V and the unmistakable ESP Mummy could be spotted in Kirk Hammett’s hands.
Metallica will play seven more shows at the Sphere on 3, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31 October, meaning they wrap up their residency on Halloween. It’s pretty fitting.
Metallica setlist: Sphere, Las Vegas, October 1
- 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
