Metallica wrapped up the U.S. dates of their 2023/2024 M72 World Tour at Lumen Field in Seattle. This tour features a unique concept: Metallica doesn't just play in a town—they take over. The band performs two distinct shows on Friday and Sunday, with no songs repeated between them. Each show features a different pair of opening acts—Pantera and Mammoth WVH on Friday, and Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills on Sunday. The takeover also includes various events around town throughout the weekend: a film festival, performances by their kids' bands, a Q&A with celebrated Metallica artist Tony Squindo, a dedicated Metallica pop-up shop, and much more. We were on hand Friday night to cover the first half of this tour's conclusion.
Another distinctive aspect of the M72 tour is the stage. For over 30 years, Metallica has performed “in the round” at arenas, with the stage in the center of the floor. However, their stadium shows have traditionally placed the stage at one end of the field. That changed with this tour, which features their first in-the-round stadium stage. The stage is ring-shaped, like a giant donut in the middle of the field, with fans both inside and outside the ring. The inner circle of the stage, known as the snakepit, is one of the most coveted spots at a Metallica show. In the snakepit, you’re so close to the band that it’s a truly unique experience for a stadium concert. Surrounding the ring are eight massive towers, topped with cylindrical screens and equipped with equally massive speaker and lighting arrays. With a stage that faces every direction, the band has to work hard to entertain everyone—you can't just stand in one spot.
Mammoth WVH
The night kicked off with Mammoth WVH, fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen—yes, from that Van Halen family. Wolfgang is the son of the legendary late Eddie Van Halen—big shoes to fill, for sure. However, Wolfgang makes no attempt to replicate his father’s music or playing style; instead, he has his modern take on rock and roll. He’s as talented a guitar player as he is a singer, and with songs like “I’m Alright” and “Don’t Back Down,” Mammoth WVH got the audience fired up to start their weekend.
Pantera
After splitting up around the turn of the millennium, groove metal pioneers Pantera have had a history filled with tragedy. Guitarist Dimebag Darrell was killed on stage while performing with Damageplan in 2004, and his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul, died from heart disease in 2018. The brothers never had a chance to reunite with frontman Phil Anselmo, but now Phil, along with bass player Rex Brown, has brought Pantera back to pay tribute to the brothers and their musical legacy. Standing in for the brothers are legendary Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, a close friend of Dimebag’s, and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, filling in for Vinnie.
Opening with “A New Level,” the band was an unstoppable force from start to finish. Phil addressed the crowd, saying, “Everything we do tonight is for the brothers.” Songs like “Strength Beyond Strength” and “I’m Broken” whipped the audience into a frenzy. Toward the end of the set, while playing the iconic track “Walk,” the Seattle Seahawks’ Blue Thunder drumline joined the band on stage, adding an extra layer of heaviness to the song.
Many fans have strong feelings about the Pantera reunion, with some feeling unfulfilled by the absence of the Abbott brothers. Regardless of your thoughts, it’s clear that hearing these songs played live again, especially for younger fans who never had the chance to see the original Cowboys From Hell, is a powerful experience.
Metallica
As the crowd finished singing along to AC/DC’s “Long Way to the Top,” the lights went down, and “The Ecstasy of Gold,” Metallica’s walk-on theme for more than 40 years, began to play. The audience roared as a drum kit rose from beneath the stage, and drummer Lars Ulrich took his seat, launching the band into their 1984 classic “Creeping Death.” The crowd of more than 70,000 chanted “DIE!” along with the band, setting the tone for a show designed to make a large stadium feel intimate. As frontman James Hetfield and the band thundered through “Harvester of Sorrow” and “Leper Messiah,” it was clear the band was in end-of-tour form—tight and firing on all cylinders. Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett kicked off the intro to Load’s “King Nothing,” a song that has recently made a more regular return to their setlists after years of infrequent performance.
After this fourth song, Ulrich’s drum kit sank back into the stage, while 90 degrees around the ring, a new kit emerged. This pattern continued throughout the night, with Lars playing a drum kit in all four quadrants of the stadium, working a big counterclockwise circle around the floor. Hetfield and the rest of the band tended to stick close to him, while Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo moved back and forth across the stage a bit more. During the always heavy “Sad But True,” Trujillo even stepped onto a platform that carried him clear across the center of the snakepit, full of fans thrilled to get even closer to the band.
While the M72 tour supports the release of 2023’s 72 Seasons, Metallica did a great job of including material from every studio album—except for 2003’s controversial St. Anger. New songs like “If Darkness Had a Son” and the title track of 72 Seasons fit seamlessly into the set. A personal highlight was the 1986 instrumental “Orion.” All three of the band’s string players gathered in a tight formation around Ulrich’s kit, and the energy as they played off each other was palpable. Trujillo’s bass rang out during the interlude, sending chills down my spine, and Hetfield fittingly dedicated the song to the band’s former bassist, the late Cliff Burton.
While technically and visually impressive, the M72 stage presents a challenge in producing clear sound to all corners of the stadium. With fans watching from literally every angle, no speaker system can satisfy everyone. When I was on the floor near the soundboard, the sound was some of the best I’ve ever heard. However, in the snakepit at the center of the stage, the sound levels were quieter and less bass-heavy. You’re so close to the band that you can hear the acoustic sounds of Ulrich’s kit, and if you’re in the wrong spot, the drums can sound out of sync with the sound emerging from the PA speakers. I’ve heard mixed reports from people in the stands, with some loving and others disliking the sound. Unfortunately, with an in-the-round show in a stadium, it’s tough to make the sound perfect for everyone.
After a fiery performance of “Fuel,” the show ended with the one-two punch of “Seek & Destroy” and “Master of Puppets,” leaving the audience on a high note. After the band ran around the stage, tossing guitar picks and drumsticks to the fans, they each gave a thank-you and goodnight message to the crowd. Ulrich, who often ends these farewells by saying, “We will see you very soon,” concluded with, “We’ll see you on Sunday!” That show is the final U.S. date on the M72 tour, with two more weekends in Mexico City still to come. Rumors are swirling about what could be next for the band, and hopefully, it won’t be long before we find out what 2025 holds for them!
