Metallica’s Sphere debut: what they played and how it looked on night one in Las Vegas

# Overview Metallica kicked off the Life Burns Faster residency at Sphere in Las Vegas on October 1, 2026. They were the first metal band to perform the futuristic venue and presented a 16-song set that leaned into the band's most forceful tracks while using Sphere's immersive screen technology to create large-scale visual scenes synchronized with the music.

# Set and highlights The set opened with "Battery" and closed with "Master of Puppets," and included crowd favorites such as "Creeping Death," "Sad But True," "Ride the Lightning," and "Seek & Destroy." Modern-era material was also present: "Now That We're Dead," "The Day That Never Comes," and "Lux Æterna." Notably, the band played "...And Justice for All," its first performance of that song since 2014.

The middle of the show gave room for extended interplay: Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo were featured in a noodly solo segment at the halfway point, and quieter moments included "Nothing Else Matters." Instrumental textures returned later with "The Call of Ktulu." The full night's running order delivered both tempo extremes and familiar sing-along moments.

# Visual production Sphere's screen work was a major element of the performance. Visual sequences included rollercoaster-style city runs, massive hourglass sand timers, and flame-licked church interiors projected behind the band. These images matched the music's moods and the songs' dynamics rather than serving as simple backdrops, creating a sensory layer that framed the setlist.

# Gear onstage Reported guitars seen during the show: James Hetfield's ESP Snakebyte and a replica of a 1980 Electra Flying V. Kirk Hammett used a black Gibson Flying V and the ESP Mummy. The band's use of digital modelers since 2013 meant they didn't need complicated acoustic adjustments for Sphere's strict noise considerations and could focus on performance and synchronization with the visuals.

# Residency schedule notes At the time of opening night, Metallica had additional Las Vegas Sphere shows scheduled across October: October 3, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31. The October 31 date concludes the month's run.

# What this night shows The debut blended Metallica's arena-era strengths—tight heavy riffing and a concise selection of fan favorites—with Sphere's capability for immersive imagery. The result was a show designed to work both as a straight-up Metallica concert and a venue-led audiovisual event, with occasional rarities in the set to please longtime listeners.

# Quick reference: Night one setlist

Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo solo segment