Metallica: photos from the opening nights of 2023's biggest tour

Lars Ulrich onstage holding a handmade Metallica sign
(Image credit: Ross Halfin)

On Saturday Metallica completed the first of the "no repeat weekends" of their M72 world tour, with the second of two sets at the Amsterdam Arena in The Netherlands giving fans a two-hour set that was entirely different to the opening night of the tour.

Metal Hammer was at the first show, with editor Eleanor Goodman's review describing the atmosphere and action. And now the band have released a gallery of images of the opening two nights, shot by photographer Ross Halfin, who's been working with the band for more than 30 years. Navigate through the images using the left and right arrows (below).

The M72 stadium tour finds the band in the centre of each stadium field in a circular setup, with the band's iconic 'Snake Pit' positioned to the middle of the arena, granting fans a 360-degree view of the performance. A number of 'Enhanced Experiences' are available, including meet and greet sessions, backstage and stage tours, refreshments in a 'Black Box' lounge and early admission to the venue. 

For fans with the deepest of pockets, Diamond 'I Disappear' tickets grant general admission to every show across the two-year tour for a price of $3498, while the luxury end of the market is catered for with a $7272 "platform package" which gives up to eight fans access to a private viewing platform for a two-show weekend, and includes complimentary drinks, access to the 'Black Box' lounge, merchandise and fast-track entry. 

Packages are on sale now. The next two shows on the M72 tour take place in Paris, France on May 17 and 19. Full dates below. 

Metallica: M72 World Tour 2023

May 17: Paris Stade de France, France
May 19: Paris Stade de France, France
May 26: Hamburg Volksparkstadion, Germany
May 28: Hamburg Volksparkstadion, Germany
Jun 08: Download Festival, UK
Jun 10: Download Festival, UK
Jun 16: Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium, Sweden
Jun 18: Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium, Sweden
Aug 04: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ, USA
Aug 06: East Rutherford MetLife Stadium, NJ, USA
Aug 11: Montreal Stade Olympique, Canada
Aug 13: Montreal Stade Olympique, Canada
Aug 18: Arlington AT&T Stadium, TX, USA
Aug 20: Arlington AT&T Stadium, TX, USA
Aug 25: Inglewood SoFi Stadium, CA, USA
Aug 27: Inglewood SoFi Stadium, CA, USA
Sep 01: Glendale State Farm Stadium, AZ, USA
Sep 03: Glendale State Farm Stadium, AZ, USA
Nov 03: St. Louis The Dome at America’s Center, MO, USA
Nov 05: St. Louis, The Dome at America’s Center, MO, USA
Nov 10: Detroit Ford Field, MI, USA
Nov 12: Detroit Ford Field, MI, USA

Metallica: M72 World Tour 2024

May 24: Munich Olympiastadion, Germany
May 26: Munich Olympiastadion, Germany
Jun 07: Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Finland
Jun 09: Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Finland
Jun 14: Copenhagen Parken Stadium, Denmark
Jun 16: Copenhagen Parken Stadium, Denmark
Jul 05: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Jul 07: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Jul 12: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain
Jul 14: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain
Aug 02: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 04: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 09: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 11: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 16: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 18: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 23: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 25: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 30: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 01: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 20: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 22: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 27: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 29: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico

Tickets are on sale now.

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.