Metallica have opened their Life Burns Faster residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and night one delivered a setlist packed with deep cuts and fan favorites. The hard rock legends kicked off the run Thursday (Oct. 1) at the state-of-the-art venue, and the full night 1 lineup is now official.
The band announced the residency earlier this year, and co-founder and drummer Lars Ulrich says U2’s opening night at the Sphere in September 2023 sealed the deal. “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!'” Ulrich said. “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 … and way f—in’ psyched to go next level!”
The Setlist
The night 1 set ran deep across Metallica’s catalog, mixing classic albums with newer releases. The show opened with “Battery” from Master of Puppets (1986) and closed with “Master of Puppets,” the album’s title track. In between, the band pulled tracks from Ride the Lightning (1984), Kill ‘Em All (1983), Metallica (1991), …And Justice for All (1988), Death Magnetic (2008), Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2017), and Reload (1997).
One oddity stood out: “Sleepwalk My Life Away” is listed as a “Kirk and Rob doodle” from 72 Seasons (2023). The song is not a standard release, and the setlist notes its unusual status.
Here is the full night 1 lineup:
| # | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battery | Master of Puppets (1986) |
| 2 | Creeping Death | Ride the Lightning (1984) |
| 3 | Now That We’re Dead | Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2017) |
| 4 | Sad But True | Metallica (1991) |
| 5 | The Shortest Straw | …And Justice for All (1988) |
| 6 | Wherever I May Roam | Metallica (1991) |
| 7 | The Day That Never Comes | Death Magnetic (2008) |
| 8 | …And Justice for All | …And Justice for All (1998) |
| 9 | Sleepwalk My Life Away | 72 Seasons (2023) (Kirk and Rob doodle) |
| 10 | Nothing Else Matters | Metallica (1991) |
| 11 | The Call of Ktulu | Ride the Lightning (1984) |
| 12 | Lux Æterna | 72 Seasons (2023) |
| 13 | Ride the Lightning | Ride the Lightning (1984) |
| 14 | The Memory Remains | Reload (1997) |
| 15 | Seek & Destroy | Kill ‘Em All (1983) |
| 16 | Master of Puppets | Master of Puppets (1986) |
No Repeat Weekend
The residency follows Metallica’s No Repeat Weekend tradition, which started with the M72 World Tour in 2023. The band plans to shake things up throughout the run, meaning each show will likely feature a different mix of songs.
Fans wanting to catch more than one show can buy two-night No Repeat Weekend tickets. These guarantee two completely unique performances.
Dates and Beyond
The Life Burns Faster residency continues with dates this month and next. The band has 2027 dates set for the first three months of next year, wrapping March 13. They also announced last month that they are adding 12 new dates to their M72 World Tour, starting May 8 in Vancouver through June 19 in Salt Lake City.
The Sphere has hosted a string of big acts since U2 opened it. Other headliners include Eagles, Backstreet Boys, No Doubt, Kenny Chesney, and the just-announced John Mayer, who will return for a solo residency in April after playing the venue in 2024 and 2025 as part of Dead & Company.
Metallica have made a strong first statement in Vegas. The residency is still young, and the band has plenty of shows left to prove it.
Stay tuned to Billboard for the night 2 lineup on Saturday.
Source material: “Metallica Sphere Setlist: Every Song From Night 1 of ‘Life Burns Faster’ Las Vegas Residency,” Billboard.
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