Metallica opened their“Life Burns Faster”residency at Las Vegas’Sphere on Thursday with a 16-song set and visuals crafted for each track. The 24-date run continues on Thursdays and Saturdays through March 2027, and the best part for fans is the format: the two nights share zero songs, so nothing repeats within a week.
The opening setlist reached into 10 of the band’s 11 studio albums, leaving only St. Anger untouched. The Black Album and Ride the Lightning each contributed three songs, and“Battery”opened a show for the first time since 2014. Big staples like“Enter Sandman,”“One,”and“Fade to Black”were held back for Saturday, which means each night delivers a genuinely different experience. The band also honored the late Cliff Burton during“The Call of Ktulu.”
The residency doubles as a preview of Metallica’s 2027 North American M72 tour leg, so Vegas is essentially getting a first look at what’s coming. With two distinct shows per week for over a year, this might be the most ambitious run the Sphere has hosted yet. Which night would you grab tickets for, Thursday or Saturday?
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Local Lawton
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