I’ve been a Metallica fan since 1986. For proof, here’s me at 17: a goofy, awkward high schooler wearing a Metal Up Your Ass shirt like it was my whole personality. Honestly, it kind of was.
That’s me on the left, 17 years old, in the Metal Up Your Ass shirt, next to my good friend Marc. Another good friend, Jamie, took the picture. We’re all still good friends to this day.
A couple of years later I finally saw them live. My first Metallica show was January 15, 1989. Damaged Justice tour, Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans. I was 19 and sitting in the stands. Honestly, I don’t remember much about it other than having a great time.
That show opened with The Ecstasy of Gold into Blackened. Hold that thought.
I’ve seen Metallica about 15 times since then. This fall they kicked off a residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas called Life Burns Faster, and I went out for the first weekend: Thursday, October 1 and Saturday, October 3. They billed it as a “No Repeat Weekend.” A different setlist each night, with nothing repeated except the Kirk and Rob doodle.
My friend Brian got us tickets through the Legacy fan club presale. We had the First Entry GA Two Day Package, which meant general admission on the floor both nights. Brian is a good Metallica friend I met through Brandon, and Brandon is a longtime friend from when we worked together at Overstock.com. Amy stayed home with the dogs.
I stayed at the Westin, about a three-quarter-mile walk to the Sphere. It was really nice: no casino, no resort fees, and just one block off the Strip.
Metal Militia — The Fan Club Line and the Numbers on Our Hands
The line started around 10am.
If you’ve never done a GA line with the Metallica fan club regulars, here’s how it works. They write your place-in-line number on your hand. It’s not official, but it keeps things civil, and it lets you come and go within reason without losing your spot.
On Thursday, the Tokyo fan club chapter ran the line. On Saturday, Brandon ran it, and he did an amazing job.
I got there at 10 on Thursday and stayed until about noon. Then we went to get food and rest, and came back around 3. That only works because of the numbers. Without them, you’re standing on that patch of ground all day.
By Saturday you’re seeing the same people from Thursday. The ones I remember most were the Ecuador chapter and the Tokyo chapter. They came all the way from Ecuador and Tokyo to stand in that line. The Ecuador guys had picks made special for the trip, and one of them gave me one.
My spot in line, in Sharpie. And the ticket that got us onto the floor both nights.
Where the Wild Things Are — The Metallica Crowd Meets the Oz Crowd
The Sphere also runs The Wizard of Oz show, and there are giant inflatable Wicked Witch legs outside, striped stockings and ruby slippers included. They were right near our line.
The first day, we noticed a very different crowd heading in. Older folks, women, some of them dressed like Dorothy. The Oz show was still running right up until our 5pm entry time, so for a while you had a line full of Metallica fans on one side and Dorothy on the other.
It was a fun contrast.
Motorbreath — Gates, Wristbands, and the Walk to the Rail
Gates opened at 5:00. Everyone got in order by the number on their hand. Not ideal, but orderly. No shoving, no pushing.
From there we walked into another waiting zone, which was a basic single-file cattle line. We waited there until 6:45 for doors. First Entry let about 500 of us in 15 minutes before everyone else. Security, then a floor wristband, then another brisk walk to the floor.
Our floor band. You can still see what’s left of my line number on my hand.
We ended up on the rail near the tip of the stage. Both nights. It was a lot like the two nights I spent in the snake pit at Mile High in Denver last year, which I wrote about in my year-end post.
That’s me in the red circle, on the rail near the tip of the stage.
Before the show, the screen was covered in flags and banners from fan club chapters all over the world. I found the Tokyo chapter’s flag. I never did spot the Ecuador one.
The Call of Ktulu — Night One
Night one opened with Battery, the first time they’d opened a show with it since 2014.
Thursday, October 1: Battery, Creeping Death, Now That We’re Dead, Sad but True, The Shortest Straw, Wherever I May Roam, The Day That Never Comes, …And Justice for All, Kirk and Rob Doodle, Nothing Else Matters, The Call of Ktulu, Lux Æterna, Ride the Lightning, The Memory Remains, Seek & Destroy, Master of Puppets.
The big one for me was …And Justice for All. It hadn’t been played since August 2014, and I loved seeing it. Brandon had been hoping they’d add Justice back since it had been so long, so he got his wish.
From the floor it was hard to take in the full Sphere visuals. For me, this weekend was mostly about seeing the band up close. I did get a couple of shots, though: Lady Justice up on the screen during …And Justice for All, and a giant Ktulu rising over the stage during The Call of Ktulu.
Kirk ripping right in front of us on night one.
James talking to the crowd about the first night at the Sphere.
James playing the riff to Ride the Lightning, right above the rail.
Rob doing his spin, bass and all.
The end of night one. James hands off his guitar and takes it all in.
Hero of the Day — Giving Blood and an Off Day in Vegas
Friday was the off day, so I gave blood at Metallica’s blood drive. I’d signed up ahead of time and had an appointment, so the wait was only about 15 minutes.
You got a T-shirt and a pick, plus cookies, snacks, and water. There were older show posters on the walls, Metallica pinball machines to play, and a drum kit set up for photos. Of course I sat behind it.
After that came the official pop-up store. Another three-hour line.
This is the show poster I was able to get. A demon tearing through the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, with both of our dates on it.
We walked around for a while, then I met Brandon and Brian for dinner and we went to see Penn & Teller. It was my first time seeing them. Fun show, and I’d see them again.
We also found KISS World at the Rio. It’s an interesting display. They even had a KISS mini putt-putt.
Left to right: the Ecuador chapter pick (they had them made special for the trip), the pick Rob handed me, and the blood drive pick.
Blackened — Night Two, 37 Years Later
Saturday started with AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top” on tape. Then The Ecstasy of Gold. Then Blackened.
Same opening as my first show in New Orleans. In 1989 I was 19 and in the stands. Thirty-seven years later, I was on the rail.
The band hitting the stage on night two, filmed from the rail.
Saturday, October 3: Blackened, Fuel, Leper Messiah, Devil’s Dance, 72 Seasons, King Nothing, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), The Outlaw Torn, Kirk and Rob Doodle, The Unforgiven, Orion, Hardwired, Whiskey in the Jar, For Whom the Bell Tolls, One, Enter Sandman.
Devil’s Dance hadn’t been played since 2008, and it was really good. The Outlaw Torn hadn’t been played since 2019. Both were amazing to see.
Across the two nights, they played ten songs from that 1989 setlist: Blackened, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Leper Messiah, Master of Puppets, One, Seek & Destroy, …And Justice for All, Creeping Death, and Battery.
Lars behind the kit on night two.
Devil’s Dance — Life on the Rail
Being on the rail is addicting. You get to interact with the band and be up close and personal.
James walks by, makes eye contact, and nods at you while he’s playing. Lars walks by teasing like he’s about to hand you a drumstick. Kirk comes by and just dumps picks to everyone in the crowd.
It makes all the standing and waiting worth it. At least to this crazy fan.
Then there was Rob. On night two he was walking around the stage throwing picks. He went to throw me one, and it fell short. Rob said “Fuck,” walked over, and handed me the pick.
I thought it was great and funny at the same time.
That’s two for Rob now. He gave me a high five at the Arlington show a few years ago.
After the show we got a group photo under the lit-up Metallica logo. That’s me on the far right, then Brandon, then Brian, plus two others whose names I don’t remember.
Turn the Page — A Cancelled Flight and One More Night
Sunday, my flight got cancelled. I came back from the airport and stayed an extra night, this time at the MGM.
I decided to look at it as one more night in Vegas. I really hadn’t had a nice dinner the whole trip, so I went to Morimoto. Then I crashed.
I made my flight on Monday. I was tired and ready to get home to Amy and the dogs. The flight home went right over the Grand Canyon.
I’m not done with the Sphere yet. I’m going back for the October 29 and October 31 shows for my birthday, and Amy is coming with me. We’ll be in the seats this time. I’m looking forward to a whole new experience of the show, and to finally seeing the visuals. I’ll write that one up too.
In 1989 I was in the stands. This weekend I was on the rail. At the end of the month, I’ll be in the seats with Amy.