Iconic rock band sets Las Vegas Strip Sphere residency | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1990s, one of the highlights for every teenager and twenty-something was the summer concert event known as “Day on the Green,” held at the Oakland Coliseum.

Over the years, I was lucky enough to see so many bands in their heyday, including U2, The Who, The Police, and David Bowie.

Then there was the line-up that was not my favorite, but I attended because my now-husband wanted to go. The headliners: Soundgarden and Metallica.

They both blew me away — to this day, Soundgarden is one of my favorite bands, even though heavy metal is still not my favorite genre. While I didn’t love Metallica as much, I certainly appreciated the spectacle, even then.

Now Metallica is taking their hard-rock performance to a new technological level at The Sphere. They are the first band in their genre to play in the dome.

“Metallica at the Sphere will be another high-demand residency ticket because of their huge popularity. It’s another band that will sell out as many shows as they can schedule at the Sphere,” said TheStreet’s Kirk O’Neil.

Even after more than 40 years, Metallica is still breaking ground.

Photo by Ethan Miller on Getty Images

Metallica breaks new ground, again

Metallica’s drummer Lars Ulrich said the residency is more than just another Vegas date. It’s a chance to engage with fans in a new way, thanks to The Sphere’s cutting-edge immersive technology.

“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 said, according to a report in Rolling Stone UK.

“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**kin’ psyched to go next level!”

Ulrich’s enthusiasm reflects the band’s ambition to push live concerts beyond traditional limits. With The Sphere’s massive wraparound LED and immersive sound environment (see Las Vegas Sphere Stats below), expectations are high for a production that melds the band’s muscular catalog with sensory spectacle.

The residency title “Life Burns Faster” comes from a lyric in the band’s classic song, “Master of Puppets.”

Among many other feats, Metallica is reported to be the first band that has played on all seven continents, so it makes perfect sense that they’re staking some territory at The Sphere.

Metallica’s 8 October nights at The Sphere

Metallica will play an initial eight dates of their “Life Burns Faster” show in the fall.

October 1
October 3
October15
October 17
October 22
October24
October29
October 31

Metallica presale tickets go on sale February 27, 2026

Metallica is rolling out tickets beginning today, releasing tickets over the next couple of weeks.

Travel packages presale February 27, 2026:

Legacy Member Presale Starts: 10 a.m. EST/7 a.m. PST
Fifth Member Presale Starts: 12 p.m. EST/9 a.m. PST
On Sale to the General Public Starts: 2 p.m. EST / 11 a.m. PST

Fan club tickets presale:

March 2, 2026

Ticketmaster artist presale:

March 3, 2026

All the ticket information is available via Metallica.com.

Biggest shows at the Las Vegas Sphere

My favorite band, U2 — and apparently one of Ulrich’s, too — opened The Sphere on Sept. 29, 2023, and ultimately played 40 shows, ending their run on March 2, 2024. I was unable to catch them during their long tenure — which I regret.

My husband and I are already engaged in negotiations about seeing Metallica, and I’m inclined to say yes, since you never know how many opportunities there will be to see these iconic rock bands.

More Las Vegas:

Other popular acts that have had successful residencies at The Sphere include:

U2: 40 shows (2023-2024)
Eagles: 56 shows scheduled (2024 through March 2026)
Dead & Company: 48 shows (2024-2025)
Phish: 12 shows (2024)
Backstreet Boys: 21 shows (2025-2026)
Kenny Chesney: 15 shows (2025)

Las Vegas Sphere stats

The Sphere’s scale and technology set it apart from traditional concert venues.

The Sphere cost $2.3 billion to build.
The structure is 366 feet high x 516 feet wide, making it the largest spherical building in the world.
The Sphere accommodates 17,600 seated and offers standing room for another 2,400 people.
The venue features 64,000 LED panels spanning 160,000 square feet.
The sound system includes 1,586 permanently installed speakers, plus 300 mobile modules.
The Sphere has approximately 3,000 employees.