Metallica continued their massive 2023-2025 M72 World Tour tonight at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA, on 2025’s Memorial Day Friday. As with all Metallica shows, these runs of dates are a “no repeat weekend” takeover experience, where the legendary band would deliver two completely different sets with two unique opening acts tonight with Ice Nine Kills and Limp Bizkit, all while performing in the round at the 50-yard line of the Eagles’ stadium. The sheer scale and spectacle of Metallica‘s stadium setup is a sight to behold, with towering video screens and a monstrous sound system primed to unleash the band’s pulverizing riffs and thunderous drums.
Upwards of 68,000 metalheads descended on the City of Brotherly Love for this concert experience. As the lights dimmed and the intro to “The Ecstasy of Gold,” with its epic, cinematic tone, blared on the video screen, a tsunami of adrenaline ripped through the entire crowd.
James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, and Robert Trujillo unleashed a relentless barrage of their most celebrated and revered songs, opening the Friday show with “Creeping Death,” and then proceeded to the perfect trifecta of “Harvester of Sorrow” then “Holier Than Thou.” The crowd surged and pulsed to each song like a living, breathing force from which Metallica drew their energy.
James‘ voice rose above the thunderous wall of sound from microphone stands placed around the perimeter of the circular stage. His fingers blurred across the strings on each song, changing guitars frequently to withstand the punishing rhythmic attack. His blistering, galloping guitar work set the stage for his soul-shaking vocals, which cut a lightning bolt—each lyric delivered with such raw intensity that you can feel the heat of the moment from when it was written, like on “Master of Puppets” and “Seek and Destroy.”
Firmly in command, Lars kept the band moving at a frenetic pace. His sharp, instinctive rhythmic cues, like “Fuel,” steered the group through the night. His four drum sets rose and fell from the depths of the stage in the blink of an eye as a queue for the band to change positions on the stage every 30 minutes to entertain the entire stadium for two hours. The physical intensity pushed his heart rate and focus into overdrive, fueling each beat that left him soaked in sweat head to toe.
In a moment of intimacy, Metallica stepped away from their trademark thunder and spectacle to reveal a more vulnerable side. Trading ferocity for feeling, they delivered a haunting rendition of “Unforgiven,” with James seated on a stool. The stripped-back arrangement laid bare the emotional weight of the lyrics, inviting the audience into a space of quiet reflection amid the usual sonic assault. This pause in intensity, though fleeting, showcased the band’s depth as songwriters and performers. But the calm didn’t linger—soon enough, the band roared back into full force.
Channeling the soul of Metallica through his bass, Robert fuses each song’s primal rhythm with an almost spiritual intensity. Every note he plays pulses with purpose—sometimes a seismic wave, other times a subtle undercurrent—always anchoring the chaos with a groove that feels alive.
Kirk‘s stand-out guitar playing this evening weaved technical precision with raw, unrestrained emotion, transforming Metallica’s music from sheer aggression into something more nuanced. His use of the Wah Wah pedal is an unprecedented aspect of Metallica’s sound, and in tonight’s set list, most notable on “Fight Fire with Fire.” He was the dynamic tapestry that held the set list together and wrapped it in a ribbon for fans. His solos weren’t just showy flourishes; they’re integral to the band’s storytelling, adding layers of drama and emotion to songs.
Metallica didn’t just play Philadelphia tonight—they detonated it. Masters of musical mayhem, they transformed raw emotion and white-hot angst into a thunderous celebration of defiance and rebellion.
Tickets for Metallica‘s upcoming shows can be found here.
