Metallica's "M72 Tour" Is a Monumental Metal Event: Review, Photos, Setlists

August 7, 2023 | 1:38pm ET

Metallica kicked off the North American leg of their “M72 World Tour” with shows Friday (August 4th) and Sunday (August 6th) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In each city, the metal legends are presenting a “No Repeat Weekend,” in which they play two nights with completely unique sets. Heavy Consequence reporter-photographers Johnny Perilla (Friday) and Kevin Wilson (Sunday) were there to cover all the action.

“We are here, and so are you,” frontman James Hetfield told the crowd at the start of Metallica’s performance of “King Nothing,” the fourth song played Friday night during the kickoff show of their 2023-2024 North American tour (get tickets here). “We are here to kick some ass. How about you?”

And that’s exactly what Metallica did during their “No Repeat Weekend” at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium. Not only did the festivities include Metallica’s headlining sets on Friday and Sunday, along with performances by various support acts, the weekend “takeover” also included a club show by OTTTO (featuring Robert Trujillo’s song Tye) and Bastardane (featuring Hetfield’s son Castor) in nearby New York City, plus a book signing by Metallica photographer Ross Halfin (attended by Trujillo and Kirk Hammett), and other festivities.

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Friday at MetLife got started with a parking lot set by metal veterans Prong, offering early arrivers and tailgaters a headbanging show before they even entered the massive football stadium. Once inside, fans were treated to an opening set by Mammoth WVH, as frontman Wolfgang Van Halen rocked through songs from the act’s 2021 self-titled debut and recently released sophomore album, Mammoth II.

In many ways, fans got a double headliner on Friday when the mighty Pantera took the stage next. The lineup of classic members Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown alongside Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante rocked through a 10-song set that featured all favorites, including “A New Level,” “I’m Broken,” “5 Minutes Alone,” and “Walk.”

For this tour, Metallica and their support acts are performing in the round, from the center of the stadium. Fans who are lucky enough to score “snakepit” tickets get to watch the bands from the center of the circle, while those in the upper seats can get a close-up view from eight towering LED video walls throughout the venue.

At roughly 8:45 p.m., Metallica took the stage, kicking things off with “Creeping Death,” and soon showcased three songs from their latest album, 72 Seasons: the title-track, the epic “If Darkness Had a Son,” and the live debut of “Shadows Follow.” Addressing the crowd, Hetfield inquired, “72 Seasons, you like it?” In reply, the audience roared in approval.

Following “If Darkness Had a Son,” Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo treated the audience to a unique jam session they called “Rose Avenue,” a musical creation conjured up by the two just moments before hitting the stage. “Kirk and I, we’ve whipped up a little jam for you,” said Trujillo. “So, every show, we go backstage and we put something together, customized for this city. This is for you, and only you.”

Prior to performing “Fade to Black,” Hetfield thanked the crowd for remembering his birthday, which took place a day earlier. “60 years old, I can’t believe it. The young me would be saying, you made it, you freaking made it, dude.”

Perhaps the only hiccup of the night was Hammett flubbing the intro to “Nothing Else Matters,” only to quickly recover as the band restarted the song.

Toward the end of the evening, as the band was playing “Seek & Destroy,” massive beachballs descended from the sky, flooding both the general admission audience and the band’s circular stage. The band playfully kicked the balls back to the audience, and the set then wrapped up with a rousing performance of “Master of Puppets.”

Two days later, Metallica fans descended upon MetLife once again, with many still buzzing from the Friday night show. Sunday’s festivities were started by Jersey’s own thrash metal icons Overkill, who set the stage on fire with an electrifying performance in the parking lot outside the stadium. Despite the summer heat, fans packed the penned-in area to witness Overkill’s explosive act, and lined up to buy the band’s T-shirts at a nearby merch stand.

As the day progressed, the excitement continued to build. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric as fans engaged in tailgating activities, turning the concert into a day-long celebration. The parking lots buzzed with anticipation as concert-goers arrived early. It was a testament to the dedication and passion of Metallica’s fanbase, who transformed the pre-concert experience into a vibrant gathering of the metal community.

At 6 p.m., Ice Nine Kills took the stage with their theatrical performance, offering a horror-themed show that included chainsaws and axes. Shortly thereafter, Five Finger Death Punch unleashed a hard-hitting 12-song set, as frontman Ivan Moody and company performed hits like “Life Me Up,” “Under and Over It,” and “The Bleeding.”

Then it was time for Metallica’s second show of the weekend, with their “no repeat” setlist offering a whole new experience for those who had attended the Friday concert. The band didn’t waste any time playing the classics, launching the show with “Whiplash,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” and “Ride the Lightning.”

Another three songs from 72 Seasons made their way into the Sunday set, with “Too Far Gone?” getting its live debut this time around. While completely different from Friday’s show, the Sunday setlist once again took the audience on a journey through Metallica’s extensive catalog, culminating with “One” and the set-closing “Enter Sandman.”

During both nights, the entire stadium was engulfed in a sea of headbanging, fist-pumping fans who sang along to every lyric. Metallica’s stage presence was magnetic, with a highly-energized Hetfield engaging in cheery banter, drummer Lars Ulrich firing up the crowd from behind his kit, and Hammett and Trujillo captivating both audiences from start to finish.

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If the kickoff concerts at MetLife Stadium were any indication, fans at upcoming North American shows can look forward to a monumental event that showcases the power and enduring appeal of heavy metal.

Photo Gallery – Metallica and support acts at MetLife Stadium August 4th and 6th, starting with the Sunday pics first (click to expand and scroll through):

Metallica at Metlife Stadium (Aug. 6), photo by Kevin RC Wilson

Five Finger Death Punch at Metlife Stadium (Aug. 6), photo by Kevin RC Wilson

Ice Nine Kills at Metlife Stadium (Aug. 6), photo by Kevin RC Wilson

Ice Nine Kills at Metlife Stadium (Aug. 6), photo by Kevin RC Wilson

Ice Nine Kills at Metlife Stadium (Aug. 6), photo by Kevin RC Wilson

Overkill outside Metlife Stadium (Aug. 6), photo by Kevin RC Wilson

Metallica tailgaters at Metlife Stadium (Aug. 6), photo by Kevin RC Wilson

Metallica tailgaters at Metlife Stadium (Aug. 6), photo by Kevin RC Wilson