Lars Ulrich says Metallica’s upcoming Sphere residency is “overwhelming and f****** intimidating,” admitting the scale of the high‑tech shows is both exciting and daunting.
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has confessed it’s “overwhelming and f****** intimidating” thinking about the band’s upcoming Las Vegas Sphere residency.
The heavy metal legends kick off the Life Burns Faster shows at the state-of-the-art venue on October 1, 2026, with the run extending into spring 2027.
Speaking on U2 guitarist The Edge’s SiriusXM radio show Close To The Edge, the sticksman confessed performing at the high-tech venue is exciting and daunting in equal measure.
He said: “This is something else.
“This is another level. And so to be able to do that here is so exciting.”
He went on: “It’s going to be challenging, and obviously, I think like everybody else I’ve talked to about it, it’s overwhelming and f****** intimidating.”
The musician explained that they are stepping outside of their comfort zone.
Lars said: “But hopefully when we step out on stage that first night, we’ll have it somewhat together. That’s a place, maybe, we don’t end up in often enough because we have a tendency to put ourselves in environments that we completely control and know. And so I think it’s really good to be able to throw yourself for the loop like that.”
Remarking on U2’s shows there, he said: “I was there opening night and was so just f****** awestruck, inspired, energised – all of it.
“It was just, like, ‘Holy s***, this is somehow another frontier’.”
The buying process for the residency “was often frustrating and not always smooth” after demand reached record-breaking levels.
In a statement shared on their website at the time, Metallica thanked fans for the overwhelming response to the 24‑night run, saying they were “completely and utterly blown away” by the scale of interest.
They added: “We are so appreciative and grateful to all of you for the incredible response… we cannot believe that we will have 24 amazing nights on stage there, all thanks to you and a record-breaking week.”
Metallica confirmed they will not be adding extra dates “at this point in time”, though they hope to offer more opportunities in the future. They also acknowledged widespread complaints about the on-sale experience, noting: “We hear you loud and clear that the ticket-buying process was often frustrating and not always smooth. We’re working with our partners to improve this experience and offer some remedies for the next time around.”
The shows will follow the band’s No Repeat Weekend format, meaning each Thursday and Saturday show will feature completely different setlists.
The residency marks the latest large-scale project from a band that has spent the past two years touring the world on their M72 run, which has drawn more than four million fans across Europe, North America, the Pacific Rim and the Middle East. The tour’s rotating stage design and production have been widely praised as some of the most ambitious of Metallica’s career.
At the Sphere, the group will perform material from across their catalogue, with the venue’s technology – including its wraparound LED display, immersive audio system and 4D effects – used to reframe their live show in a new way.
The band say the experience will differ from stadium, arena and club performances, even for fans who have seen them from the Snake Pit on the M72 tour.
