While the metal giants are gearing up for a tiny 250-cap show at Stephen Talkhouse in Long Island on August 28th to celebrate their new SiriusXM channel “Maximum Metallica”, speculation has them plotting something much bigger for 2025.
According to Vital Vegas, Metallica could be the next act to take over the cutting-edge Vegas venue, following in the footsteps of U2, Dead & Company, and Eagles. The outlet has previously nailed Sphere-related scoops, though no official word has dropped yet.
Drummer Lars Ulrich addressed the possibility during a surprise appearance on Howard Stern’s SiriusXM show this week, where the two discussed the Sphere rumors and more. Earlier this year, guitarist Kirk Hammett told The Hollywood Reporter that he was fully on board with a Sphere gig, calling it “a crazy experience” and praising the venue’s tech-heavy production capabilities.
Ulrich shared the following:
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 [The Sphere]. It’s something that we’re considering, nothing is etched in stone or green-lit. It’s something that we’re looking at at some point when the 2026 tour is done.
It’s not signed, sealed and delivered, but speaking to me and asking my opinion I would fucking love to do it
Ulrich was also asked about a potential Super Bowl Halftime appearance in San Francisco next year. With Live Nation reporting a 14% increase in heavy rock show attendance, the timing might be right.
Fuck yeah of course we would. First of all we would do it. Second of all to do it in San Francisco would be a dream come true and would be the right fit. …Certainly as somebody who’s represented San Francisco all over the world and shouted for decades about San Francisco and our love for the Bay Area, that part of it is the right fit. Ultimately it’s not our decision.