Metallica Sphere residency announced: 'Life Burns Faster' to run eight shows in October 2026
Metallica will bring its "Life Burns Faster" residency to metallica sphere in Las Vegas, an eight-show run in October 2026 that promises unique set lists and Sphere-enhanced production. The announcement lays out specific dates, ticketing windows and partner promotions ahead of the on-sale period.
October schedule: eight shows, grouped in two-night sets
The residency is scheduled for eight dates in October 2026: Oct. 1, 3, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31. The concerts are grouped in two-night sets — Oct. 1 and 3, 15 and 17, 22 and 24, and 29 and 31 — and the run is explicitly limited to that month. Organizers have framed the run as a compact engagement rather than a long-term residency.
Ticketing and presale windows, plus package options
Two-night No Repeat Weekend packages and single-night tickets go on sale March 6 at 10 a. m. PT. A special presale window is scheduled to open Thursday, March 5 at 10 a. m. PT and run through Thursday, March 5 at 10 p. m. PT using the presale code SIRIUSXM. Ticket registration, pre-sale information, enhanced experiences and travel packages are available through the band's registration channels.
Metallica Sphere immersive technologies and set-list plans
The residency will feature live staples and surprises from the Metallica catalog enhanced by Sphere's immersive technologies. The production will lean on the venue's high-resolution LED display that wraps up, over and around the audience, Sphere Immersive Sound that delivers targeted audio clarity, and multi-sensory 4D technology. Promoters say those systems will present a wholly new Metallica experience for attendees — including James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo.
Lars Ulrich’s comments, prior hints and tour context
Drummer Lars Ulrich said the idea took hold early: "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!'" He added, "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!"
Ulrich had previously teased the possibility in an August 2025 interview, declining to commit but saying, "It's something that we're looking at, at some point, when the 2026 tour is done, " and adding candidly, "I'm not going to [expletive] you; I would [expletive] love to do it... It's not signed, sealed, and delivered, but speaking to me and asking my opinion, I would [expletive] love to do it. " Six months after that tease, the band confirmed the residency.
The announcement notes that Metallica remains on the road in support of its 2023 album 72 Seasons, with concerts scheduled around Europe this summer and a final two-night European stand at London Stadium on July 5 before returning to the United States for the October residency. The residency title, "Life Burns Faster, " is drawn from a lyric in the song "Master of Puppets. " The band is also identified in coverage as the first band to perform on all seven continents.
Production partners, promotions and related programming
The residency is produced by Live Nation and presented by inKind. inKind is described as a rewards and financing platform that offers diners special offers and credit back when they use the app to pay at thousands of restaurants, and that provides innovative financing to participating restaurants to enable new levels of sustainability and success. Fans are invited to explore inKind's programs for additional offers tied to the residency.
Complementing the ticket rollout is a new monthly live call-in program called "Tallica Talk, " hosted by Spider Dan and Steffan Chirazi. Fans can call 844-TALLICA to share stories; the program's premiere will focus on the Sphere announcement on Wednesday, February 25 from 4–5 p. m. PT / 7–8 p. m. ET.
Other items that appeared alongside the announcement
Coverage surrounding the announcement included several unrelated items and industry notes: a headline noted a streaming service quietly canceled a new show after one season; one commentator said they picked up both HD and 4K versions of a title to test how much life those formats could provide on two older TVs; Tom Haberstroh and Dan Devine looked at current NBA MVP favorites; Richmond Fed president Tom Barkin said that back-and-forth on President Trump's tariffs is adding uncertainty for businesses and the economy; a "Football 301" podcast episode featured Nate Tice and Matt Harmon in Indianapolis at the scouting combine examining star Buckeyes; Tecno unveiled a modular smartphone concept design; questions were raised about who will win the battle for the top seed in the West; analyst Joel Smyth highlighted NFL prospects to watch at the combine; and one personal note observed that Oliver's 8-year-old son got into baseball last season and became a big Alonso fan.
