--- title: "Metallica Kicks Off 24-Show Residency at Sphere Las Vegas" url: https://noti.group/metallica-kicks-off-24-show-residency-at-sphere-las-vegas/ language: en publisher: "Noti Group" section: "Entertainment" published: 2026-10-02T20:44:33.000Z updated: 2026-10-02T22:38:11.217Z id: 6c908889-ba07-451b-a582-1628b5d3bad4 source: "The Hollywood Reporter https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-features/metallica-sphere-residency-life-burns-faster-opening-night-1236721137/" attribution: "Link to https://noti.group/metallica-kicks-off-24-show-residency-at-sphere-las-vegas/ and name Noti Group when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Metallica Kicks Off 24-Show Residency at Sphere Las Vegas The band's sold-out opening night show featured two distinct set lists with no repeated songs between nights. Metallica kicked off its 24-show residency at Sphere Las Vegas on Thursday night, marking a significant milestone for the venue which had just celebrated its third anniversary in September. The band's "No Repeat Weekend format, first introduced during their M72 World Tour in 2023, is being applied to this series of performances. This means that each Thursday-Saturday pairing will feature two distinct set lists, with no songs repeated between nights. The opening night show was a sold-out event, with a crowd comprised largely of die-hard Metallica fans who were well-versed in the band's extensive catalog. As a result, the 15-song setlist leaned heavily on the band's early work, catering to the audience's deep knowledge and appreciation for their music. The evening began at 8:48 p.m. with a familiar AC/DC song, It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll), signaling the start of the show. Initially, there was little on stage, just microphone stands situated on an undulating platform surrounding the venue's Snake Pit. The anticipation was palpable as the crowd waited for the band to take the stage. Suddenly, The Ecstasy of Gold began playing, and then Lars Ulrich emerged from nowhere with his drum kit. The room erupted into energy as Metallica launched into Battery, delivering a high-octane performance that got the audience on their feet. Metallica has plenty more to offer in this residency series, with many nights still to come before it concludes. The band's ability to deliver two distinct sets each weekend will undoubtedly keep fans engaged and eager for more. The visual effects were just as impressive during Battery" and "Creeping Death, where the audience was transformed into a dynamic display on the massive screen behind the stage. As the band transitioned to Sad but True, they found themselves inside a Gothic cathedral, with vibrant stained-glass windows that seemed to pulse with energy. The musicians appeared in these windows, surrounded by intricate details and symbols reminiscent of medieval art. In stark contrast, The Shortest Straw took on a more playful tone, with imagery inspired by the glitz of Las Vegas. Cards and slot machines filled the screen as the band delivered their signature sound. The Day That Never Comes featured a haunting landscape of hourglasses rising from the desert floor, with sand flowing through them in a mesmerizing display. This visual backdrop seemed to match the song's themes of time and mortality. The darkness deepened during ...And Justice for All, where Lady Justice was depicted as a prisoner under surveillance. The scene quickly descended into chaos as the world around her began to crumble, leaving fans stunned by the visuals. The visuals that accompanied Metallica's performance began to take on a more subdued tone during Nothing Else Matters. After Robert Trujillo's extended guitar intro, the song was allowed to unfold in a more stripped-back manner, showcasing the immersive qualities of Sphere's sound system. The intimate passages were particularly striking, with the quiet moments giving way to thunderous riffs that brought the audience back to their feet. This contrast highlighted the dynamic range of the sound design, which was able to seamlessly transition between intense and delicate moments. One of the standout moments came during The Call of Ktulu, when a massive sea creature rose from the depths, filling the visual field with an otherworldly presence. This visually literal interpretation of the song's Lovecraftian themes was both breathtaking and unsettling, leaving fans stunned by its sheer scale. The band then launched into Lux Æterna, which saw yellow-green streaks and ribbons of light racing across the dome as Lars Ulrich's drums appeared in a third location. This added another layer of visual complexity to the performance, with an unmanned camera capturing all the action from 360 degrees. As the evening wore on, Metallica delivered one of its most iconic songs, Ride the Lightning. The visuals accompanying this track were particularly striking, with electricity tearing through a blue-violet sky and an enormous electric chair materializing above James Hetfield. The visuals accompanying Seek & Destroy continued to blur the lines between past and present. A black-and-white garage scene gave way to a digital landscape, with images of young Metallica filling the room as the song's familiar rhythms stretched into a prolonged exchange with the audience. As the band performed within this futuristic backdrop, they seemed to be caught in a timeless loop, their music bridging eras and environments. The juxtaposition was striking: advanced technology merged seamlessly with the raw energy of Metallica's early days. The transition from Seek & Destroy" to "Master of Puppets was seamless, with each song feeding into the next like gears turning within a well-oiled machine. The technology surrounding the band proved to be more than just a backdrop, it was an integral part of their performance. As Master of Puppets" reached its climax, the scenery around Metallica transformed once again, this time morphing into a surreal green-hued world that seemed almost otherworldly in scale and scope. The show's narrative emphasizes the raw energy of Metallica's music, beginning with the physical act of creating sound - a pick hitting a string or a stick meeting a drumhead. This tactile aspect sets in motion a chain reaction that culminates in the audience experiencing the music. As the performance unfolds, it becomes clear that Metallica's music has transcended time, remaining relevant and timeless despite spanning nearly five decades. The band's longevity is underscored by the seamless integration of their songs into the show, which effectively defies the need for modernization through the Sphere production. --- Source: [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-features/metallica-sphere-residency-life-burns-faster-opening-night-1236721137/) Published by Noti Group: https://noti.group/metallica-kicks-off-24-show-residency-at-sphere-las-vegas/