Metallica Begins Life Burns Faster Las Vegas Sphere Residency

Metallica opened their highly anticipated Life Burns Faster residency at the Las Vegas Sphere on Thursday. The first of the band’s 24 announced concerts at the technologically enhanced venue included “…And Justice For All” and “Now That We’re Dead,” two songs that had been absent from Metallica’s setlists for years.

Metallica first confirmed eight October dates for the residency and later extended the run into 2027. Each Life Burns Faster weekend pairs a Thursday and a Saturday concert with no songs repeated between them.

Frontman James Hetfield led his bandmates through “Battery” to officially launch the metal icon’s Vegas residency. The Master Of Puppets track was reportedly used as an opener for the first time since 2014. “Creeping Death” came next, followed by the Hardwired… To Self-Destruct song “Now That We’re Dead,” which had been absent from setlists since 2021.

The band rolled on with “Sad But True” and “Wherever I May Roam,” a pair of songs from their self-titled album, Metallica, encompassing the …And Justice For All cut “The Shortest Straw.” The Death Magnetic track “The Day That Never Comes” came next.

Metallica then played “…And Justice For All,” which was the title track’s first public performance by the group since 2014. Among those in the audience to witness the rarity were Jack White and his bandmates.

Guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo took up their nightly “Kirk And Rob Doodle,” building off of “Sleepwalk My Life Away.” Hammett played an extended solo introduction to “Nothing Else Matters,” and the band dedicated the instrumental “The Call Of Ktulu” to late bassist Cliff Burton.

“Lux Æterna,” the lone selection from the band’s latest album 72 Seasons, preceded “Ride The Lightning” and “The Memory Remains,” which featured an extended outro. Metallica closed their first Sphere show with “Seek & Destroy” and “Master Of Puppets.”

Metallica’s Life Burns Faster Sphere residency continues tomorrow, Saturday, October 3. Scroll through a bunch of video clips posted from opening night in Vegas below: