Metallica close to securing deal to play Las Vegas Sphere residency
Metallica are said to be '90 per cent' done negotiating a deal to put on a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere.
Metallica are reportedly closing in on a deal for a residency at the state-of-the-art Las Vegas Sphere.
The heavy metal titans have been reported to be in talks for a show at the plush Sin City venue for a while now, and are said to be "90 per cent" done with their negotiations with Sphere bosses.
An insider told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: “Metallica having a residency at the Sphere is all anyone is talking about on the Strip.
“They have been to see the bosses and met all the tech team to talk through and plan out a show in principle.
“The contracts are still to be signed but we were told they are 90 per cent there. Metallica will bring a different feel to a show there and there is a lot of excitement from bosses at the Sphere about what this could look like.”
Drummer Lars Ulrich addressed the reports on The Howard Stern Show, stating: "I'm not going to confirm anything, because there's nothing to confirm. But I'm not going to deny it, because we're all such fans of this venue.
"All of our manager and our production people have been there and looked at it. It's something that we're considering, (but) nothing is etched in stone or green-lit. It's something that we're looking at some point when the 2026 tour is done."
The sticksman continued: "I would f****** love to do it, let there be no question about it. It's not signed, sealed and delivered, but speaking to me and asking my opinion, I would f****** love to do it."
Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett revealed recently that the Nothing Else Matters band would love to stage a "crazy experience" at the venue, which is renowned for its immersive video and audio capabilities.
Quizzed about the prospect, he told The Hollywood Reporter: "Oh, heck, yeah! That’s a great example of how venues are changing. 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."
Metallica have embraced developments in technology - appearing in the video game Fortnite and staging an immersive concert with Apple Vision Pro in recent years - and Kirk warned that other artists risk being "exploited" if they do not adapt with the times.
He said: "The formats and venues just keep on coming. Ten years ago, I didn’t know we would be characters in a Fortnite game or that Apple would create VR headsets that can bring you literally right in front of the performer or the athlete. We didn’t see any of this coming.
"It’s important to pay attention to all this stuff, because if you don’t apply yourself in a responsible fashion, someone else is going to do it for you, and you’re going to be on the exploited end. If you’re not paying attention, then stuff like Napster happens. It’s not for me to say, but that’s something to ponder."
