Lars Ulrich Discusses Metallica’s Upcoming Las Vegas Sphere Residency

Inspiration From U2’s Opening Night

During an appearance on the “Close To The Edge” show on SiriusXM, Lars Ulrich revealed that his vision for Metallica future at the Sphere was sparked by attending U2’s inaugural performance at the venue in 2023. Ulrich described the experience as a significant advancement for live music.

"I was there opening night and was so just fucking awestruck, inspired, energized — all of it. It was just, like, ‘Holy shit, this is somehow another frontier.’"

— Lars Ulrich

The drummer expressed gratitude toward U2 for being the first to utilize the venue's unique capabilities. He noted that the experience of watching their residency influenced his own excitement for Metallica's upcoming run, which is scheduled to begin three years after U2’s debut.

"Obviously, you guys were the first ones in and it was just so incredible to see that night. So, in that spirit, three years later, when we start here in a few months, we’re so excited and definitely have heard from a few folks about the filming and all of it."

— Lars Ulrich

Residency Details and Expanded Schedule

The residency, titled Life Burns Faster—a name derived from a lyric in the song “Master of Puppets”—has seen a significant expansion due to high fan demand. While the run was initially announced with eight dates, it has grown to an extensive 24 nights. The residency is set to take place in weekly two-date increments starting in October 2026 and continuing through March 2027.

According to the scheduled dates, the band will perform on the following days:

• October 1 through October 31, 2026

• November 5 and 7, 2026

• January 28 and 30, 2027

• February 4, 6, 18, 20, 25, and 27, 2027

• March 4, 6, 11, and 13, 2027

Ulrich mentioned that the band has been preparing for this project for a year to a year and a half. The work will intensify following the conclusion of the band's current “M72” world tour, which has already reached over four million fans across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim since its start in Spring 2023.

"We'll take a couple weeks [after the completion of METALLICA's 'M72' world tour] to chill out, but then we gotta start thinking about scaling the Sphere mountain and conquering that."

— Lars Ulrich

The Challenges of a New Frontier

Despite his excitement, Ulrich admitted that the prospect of performing in such a technologically advanced environment is daunting. He noted that the band typically prefers environments where they have total control, making the Sphere a unique challenge.

"It’s gonna be challenging. And obviously, like everybody else I’ve talked to about it, it’s overwhelming and fucking intimidating. But hopefully when we step out on stage that first night, we’ll have it somewhat together. And as you know, 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 a loop like that."

— Lars Ulrich

The 17,600-capacity venue features a 16K resolution wraparound LED screen and Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT. These technologies, along with multi-sensory 4D features, will be used to enhance Metallica’s catalog of live staples and deep cuts. The Sphere has previously hosted residencies for artists including Phish, Dead & Company, No Doubt, Kenny Chesney, the Zac Brown Band, the Backstreet Boys, and currently, the Eagles.

Band Dynamics and History

Reflecting on the band’s longevity during the interview, Ulrich spoke about his 45-year working relationship with vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield. The two formed Metallica in 1981. Ulrich highlighted how their different backgrounds—his own roots in Denmark and Hetfield’s upbringing in Southern California—contribute to the band's creative process alongside guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo.

"I would like to think that we each bring a different energy and a different focus and a different — I don't know — maybe a skillset or whatever word you wanna use to it. Obviously, not discounting what Kirk and Robert bring, but we are all different. And certainly James and I are different. We're... Fuck, we're 45 years into this — that's insane... I'd like to think that the differences that all of us bring and the different influences, inspirations and the way we grew up and just our sort of attitudes and approaches is what makes this work."

— Lars Ulrich