Metallica are reportedly close to signing a deal to play a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere in 2027.
Rumours have been swirling for some time about the possibility of the band being the latest act to play a series of shows at the state-of-the-art venue, with local media suggesting they were “ready to ink a deal” last summer, and both Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo openly discussing the scenario in recent months.
Now, a report from The Sun has cited a source in Las Vegas who said the band are about 90 per cent done with the deal and are now just waiting to sign the final contract.
“Metallica having a residency at the Sphere is all anyone is talking about on the Strip,” the source is quoted as saying. “They have been to see the bosses and met all the tech team to talk through and plan out a show in principle.”
So far, U2, Phish, Dead & Company, the Eagles and the Backstreet Boys have all played residencies at the venue, while it is also the home to an immersive 4D version of The Wizard Of Oz.
Last April, Kirk Hammett said the band would love the chance to play the Sphere, saying it was a “great example of how venues are changing”. He added: “That’s using modern technology to the fullest, to really up the levels of production and entertainment, connected to AI and making it a crazy experience.”
Ulrich confirmed that the band are considering the Sphere in August, saying he would “fucking love to do it”, while Trujillo said the “possibilities are endless” about the prospect in the same month, saying it would be “a dream come true”.
U2 were the first band to play at the Sphere. NME give their performance a glowing five-star review, sharing that it “truly takes your breath away”.
“They pull off a dazzling series of technological tricks right from the outset as whirring drones whizz past the audience while everything from giant helicopters, falling letters, widescreen desert landscapes and even a projection of the Sphere itself come hurtling towards the audience,” it read.
As for what Metallica are up to in 2026, they will be heading over to this side of the pond for a string of stadium shows in the UK and Europe – including dates in Dublin, Glasgow, Cardiff and London. Opening sets will come from Gojira, Pantera, Knocked Loose and Avatar. See the full list of dates here and find any remaining tickets here.
NME gave their opening night in Amsterdam in 2023 a four-star review, and praised the band for still being able to create an electric atmosphere, over four decades since they formed.
“Metallica have always been a gateway band for heavy music, but there’s a renewed excitement around them now. Tonight’s surprising, ambitious and giddy gig matches that energy at every turn,” it read. “From the gorgeous ‘Nothing Else Matters’ through to the unifying ‘Seek & Destroy’, the majesty of heavy music is on full display throughout the gig as Metallica prove why they’re clearly still the greatest metal band around.”
