Heavy metal is coming to Sin City. Following months of rumors and speculation, it was announced this week that Metallica will debut its “Life Burns Faster” residency at Sphere in Las Vegas this fall. The highly anticipated run will take place across eight evenings: Oct. 1, 3, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31. “Surprise! The world’s worst-kept secret is now official …” Metallica said in a statement. “We are bringing our ‘No Repeat Weekends’ to Sphere in Las Vegas this fall!!” Taking its name from a line in the band’s thrash metal classic “Master of Puppets,” the “Life Burns Faster” residency will continue the no-repeat weekend tradition that began in 2023 and carried through the current M72 World Tour, with no songs repeated on each Thursday and Saturday throughout the stretch. Metallica (COURTESY OF TIM SACCENTI) Two-night “No Repeat Weekend” tickets and single-night tickets will go on sale March 6 at 7 a.m. Eastern. To register for tickets or for further information regarding pre-sales, enhanced experiences, travel packages, and more, head to metallica.com. Since opening in 2023 with a 40-date U2 residency, Sphere has hosted everyone from Backstreet Boys to Phish to the Eagles to Kenny Chesney. Metallica will be the first hard rock outfit to play the space. Their interest in performing at what has quickly become one of the crown jewel venues in North America has been well-documented. “About 12 seconds into the opening night of Sphere with U2 back in ’23, I thought ‘We have to do this, it’s completely uncharted territory!’” Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said. “This residency gives us another chance to reinvent how we interact with our fans in a live setting. We are beyond excited to share this with the world in six months time, and way [expletive] psyched to go next level!” The band’s Sphere residency will see live staples and promises surprises spanning the Metallica catalog. The music will be enhanced by the venue’s immersive technologies, allowing fans to experience the sound and fury of the band’s live performance in all-new dimensions. And given the way they’ve pushed the envelope in the past, be it from the famed Snake Pit through the 360-degree M72 stage, fans can expect something special. Already, Metallica has broken new ground in doing the no-repeat strategy at Sphere. What’s somewhat surprising is that only eight shows have been announced. If it stays that way, the event will be the third shortest in the venue’s brief history. Only Mexican singer/songwriter Carín León, currently at seven nights for his upcoming September residency, has fewer than Metallica’s eight. So, what are the odds the Bay Area titans of thrash will add more gigs? At this point, pretty good. There’s nothing slotted post-Metallica on the Sphere docket. Nor is anything on the schedule for the band, given the “touring” part of M72 World Tour ostensibly winds down in England over Fourth of July weekend, then a few months’ rest leads up to “Life Burns Faster” in Vegas. Whether they go for the top of the mountain by besting the Eagles, who will conclude their run in April with 58, remains to be seen. Metallica is also offering a “Full House” ticket, clocking in at $2,700 and entitling its holder to attend every concert with floor access. Additional VIP experiences range from meet and greet access, a pre-show, onstage photo opportunity, and exclusive entry to the Black Box Experience to first access to the venue or a coveted spot inside the Snake Pit. Presales for all “Life Burns Faster” travel packages begin Friday, Feb. 27, at 4 a.m. for Legacy Members and 6 a.m. for Fifth Members, followed by the general on sale at 9 a.m. All times are Eastern. Presales for Enhanced Experience tickets and the “Full House Ticket” are included in the fan club presale on Monday, Mar. 2. For more information, head to superfan.live/metallicasphere. Vinyl of the Week Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a repressing of a landmark recording, special edition, or new collection from a legendary act. This week, it’s the 40th anniversary of a short-lived but high-profile band. “The Power Station 40th Anniversary Edition” (COURTESY OF CAPITOL RECORDS) The Power Station: “The Power Station 40th Anniversary Edition” The Power Station was a veritable phenomenon of the mid-’80s. It was initially formed in 1984 as a one-off project by Andy Taylor and John Taylor of Duran Duran to record a cover of T. Rex’s “Get It On” with model Bebe Buell. The pair wanted to pursue a more rock sound, along with the funkier drumming of Chic’s Tony Thompson, and came up with the concept of the group having a revolving singer. A year before he exploded into the MTV era with “Addicted to Love,” vocalist Robert Palmer was invited to perform on the track “Communication,” after which he asked if he could add his vocals to “Get It On.” Palmer’s involvement soon put to bed the initial idea of revolving singers as they would go on to write and record their self-titled debut album, naming themselves after the studio in which they were working in New York. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of both The Power Station and their eponymous debut album, an expanded edition of the record has recently landed on shelves in two separate configurations, including a two-LP set. A four-CD set comes in clamshell packaging with a 12-page booklet containing a brand-new interview with John Taylor and Andy Taylor. The first disc contains the remastered album, while disc two features single remixes, raw instrumentals taken from the original studio sessions, and recordings from their Live Aid performance in 1985. Discs three and four are an unreleased live set from Philly’s own The Spectrum on Aug. 21, 1985. The two-LP version is pressed on recycled black vinyl, comes in a gatefold sleeve, and contains the brand-new remastered version of the original album alongside single remixes and the band’s performance from Live Aid. Palmer would only perform with the band live once, on “Saturday Night Live” in February 1985, and would leave the band shortly after the album came out. The Power Station toured with Michael Des Barres on vocals, who also performed with them for Live Aid. Later in 1985, the group would officially disband. Palmer was squarely focused on his solo career and released his smash album “Riptide.” John Taylor returned to Duran Duran, and Andy Taylor pursued a solo career. Thompson remained an in-demand drummer playing with everyone from Jody Watley to Madonna to Rod Stewart to David Bowie, among others. “It was a truly unique experience, and I’m proud of the work we created,” John Taylor said in a statement. “I’m also super happy with this re-issue edition, which has been beautifully remastered with bonus tracks added, and a perfect refresh of the iconic artwork.” “The Power Station: 40th Anniversary” can be found online and from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl. To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to [email protected]. Also, check out his website at thechroniclesofmc.com. ...read more read less