Metallica Sphere: metallica sphere residency announces eight October shows in Las Vegas
Metallica will mount an eight-show residency titled “Life Burns Faster” at Sphere in Las Vegas in October 2026, the band has announced. The metallica sphere engagement covers four pairs of dates and includes special presale access for SiriusXM listeners ahead of a public on-sale.
Metallica Sphere residency dates
The eight-show run is scheduled for Oct. 1, 3, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31, 2026. The residency will continue the band’s “No Repeat Weekend” approach, first used at the 2023 kickoff of Metallica’s M72 World Tour, under which no songs will be repeated on each Thursday and Saturday pairing throughout the course of the run. The calendar allows expansion into December, should the dates merit that demand; a January piece said October and also December were planned and that the deal was signed months ago.
Presale and public on-sale
SiriusXM listeners can access a special presale on Thursday, March 5 starting at 10am PT and running through Thursday, March 5 at 10pm PT using the code SIRIUSXM. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 6 at 10am PT. Two-night No Repeat Weekend packages and single-night tickets are slated to go on sale March 6 at 10am PT as well. Ticket registration, presale information, enhanced experiences and travel packages are available through the band’s presale channels.
No Repeat Weekend and setlists
The residency will feature live staples and surprises spanning the Metallica catalog, with the No Repeat Weekend tradition meaning the band will not repeat songs on the Thursday–Saturday pairings. The production is billed to bring a mix of expected live staples and surprises across the eight shows.
Immersive Sphere technology
Sphere’s immersive technologies are central to the plan: the venue’s world’s highest resolution LED display will wrap up, over and around the audience; Sphere Immersive Sound will deliver audio with clarity and precision to every guest; and multi-sensory 4D technology will be employed. Organizers say those systems will allow fans to experience the sound and fury of Metallica in new experiential dimensions, whether fans have seen the band from the upper reaches of a stadium or arena, at an intimate club or theater gig, or from the famed Snake Pit surrounded by the 360-degree M72 stage. The statement names James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo among those involved in the engagement.
Promotion, production and partners
Metallica “Life Burns Faster” at Sphere is produced by Live Nation and presented by inKind. inKind is described as rewarding diners with special offers and credit back when they use the app to pay at thousands of top-rated restaurants nationwide, and as providing innovative financing to participating restaurants that enables new levels of sustainability and success. Metallica also teased the residency on social media by blasting the band’s famed logo and the song “No Leaf Clover” to the masses.
Band timeline and context
The classic lineup of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo will close the M72 world tour on July 5 in London, leaving time to build a Sphere-caliber production. The production would coincide with the 40th anniversary of Master of Puppets, the band’s first gold album. Metallica will be the first heavy metal band to play Sphere; the band was also the first metal band to play Allegiant Stadium, in February 2022.
Quotes, appearances and SiriusXM programming
Drummer Lars Ulrich offered enthusiastic remarks about the project in two published versions of the band’s statement. One version quoted Ulrich saying, “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!’ 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!” Another published version featured the same sentiment with a censored expletive: “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!’ 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 f——- psyched to go next level!”
All band members made an unbilled, attempted covert appearance at Sphere for the Eagles show on Jan. 30; the visit was described as a scouting mission and not just to bask in “Peaceful Easy Feeling. ”
SiriusXM will offer exclusive programming around the announcement with a new monthly live call-in show called “Tallica Talk” on Maximum Metallica, hosted by Spider Dan and Steffan Chirazi. Fans can call 844-TALLICA to share stories; the premiere episode will focus on the Sphere announcement on Wednesday, February 25 from 4–5pm PT / 7–8pm ET.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section; contact details published with that column list jkatsilometes@reviewjournal. com and social handles @johnnykats on X and @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
Closing: The Life Burns Faster residency at Sphere will bring eight shows across October 2026, a No Repeat Weekend format, special SiriusXM presale access on March 5 using code SIRIUSXM, and a public on-sale beginning March 6 at 10am PT, with production produced by Live Nation and presented by inKind.
