Metallica Sphere residency: ‘Life Burns Faster’ set for Las Vegas in October 2026

Metallica has announced its “Life Burns Faster” residency at the Sphere, a news release published Wednesday ends months of speculation and lays out an eight-show run in October 2026. The residency pairs the band’s catalog staples and surprises with the venue’s immersive technologies and revives the band’s No Repeat Weekend approach from the 2023 M72 World Tour.

Eight-show schedule and the No Repeat Weekend plan

The scheduled eight-show run is Oct. 1, 3, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31, 2026. The engagement continues the No Repeat Weekend format the band introduced during the 2023 launch of its M72 World Tour: no songs will be repeated on each Thursday and Saturday pairing throughout the run. The calendar also allows expansion into December, should the dates merit that demand, and the announcement suggested expansion is expected if demand calls for it.

Ticketing: presale window, codes and general on-sale

A special presale will run on March 5 from 1: 00 p. m. ET to 1: 00 a. m. ET using the code SIRIUSXM, and two-night No Repeat Weekend packages and single-night tickets will go on sale to the general public on March 6 at 1: 00 p. m. ET. The band’s ticket registration, pre-sale information, enhanced experiences and travel packages are available through the band’s ticket registration channels.

Metallica Sphere production will use immersive LED, Sphere Immersive Sound and 4D technology

The residency will feature live staples and surprises from the Metallica catalog enhanced by the venue’s immersive technologies. The production will use the venue’s highest-resolution LED display that wraps up, over and around the audience, Sphere Immersive Sound to deliver audio with clarity and precision to every guest, and multi-sensory 4D technology intended to present an entirely new concert experience for attendees.

The announcement explicitly names band members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo in connection with the residency and the planned production.

Lars Ulrich’s reaction and build-up to the announcement

Metallica co-founder and 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!’” Ulrich added that the residency gives the band “another chance to reinvent how we interact with our fans in a live setting, ” that they are “beyond excited to share this with the world in six months time, ” and that the band is “way” — explicit expletive in the release — “psyched to go next level!”

The band’s announcement followed months of public speculation and a period of apparent scouting: all band members made an unbilled, attempted covert appearance at Sphere for the Eagles show on Jan. 30, a visit described as both enjoyment of the show and a scouting mission.

M72 tour timing, anniversaries and promotional programming

The residency ties back to the band’s ongoing M72 World Tour. The classic lineup of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo is scheduled to close the M72 world tour on July 5 in London, a timeline the announcement said leaves sufficient time to build a Sphere-caliber production. The run’s production would also coincide with the 40th anniversary of Master of Puppets, described in the announcement as the band’s first gold album.

Promotional programming includes a new monthly live call-in show titled “Tallica Talk, ” hosted by Spider Dan and Steffan Chirazi; the show’s premiere will focus on the Sphere announcement on Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 7: 00–8: 00 p. m. ET (4: 00–5: 00 p. m. PT). Fans are invited to call 844-TALLICA to share stories, and the program will feature different themes each month.

Brand partners, social teases and other presale notices

The Metallica “Life Burns Faster” at Sphere production is credited as produced by Live Nation and presented by inKind. The announcement describes inKind as a company that rewards diners with special offers and credit back when they use the app to pay at many restaurants nationwide and that it provides innovative financing to participating restaurants to support sustainability and success.

In advance of the formal announcement the band teased the residency on social media, blasting the band’s famed logo and the song “No Leaf Clover” to the masses. Other presale headlines mentioned alongside the announcement included presale notices for Kenny Chesney at Sphere, Megyn Kelly’s nationwide live tour, Def Leppard live in Las Vegas and 2026 dates for Santana’s intimate greatest-hits shows.

• Oct. 1, 3, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31, 2026: scheduled Life Burns Faster dates
• March 5 presale window: 1: 00 p. m. ET–1: 00 a. m. ET using code SIRIUSXM
• March 6 general on-sale: 1: 00 p. m. ET (two-night and single-night packages available)