The M72 World Tour is an ongoing concert tour by American heavy metal band Metallica in support of the band's eleventh studio album 72 Seasons, which was released on April 14, 2023. The tour was announced on November 28, 2022, following the release of the album's first single, "Lux Æterna". The tour began on April 27, 2023 in Amsterdam and is set to conclude on September 29, 2024 in Mexico City. Along with an upgraded stage design which relocates the "Snake Pit" to the center stage, the tour features two or more performances in each city.
Background
On the announcement of the tour the band stated that, over the past few years, they had been inspired by the fans who attended their shows in 2019 and 2021. In the same statement they stated that they "had a blast being a part of the 2021 Wimmer Festivals when they played two nights in one city". Starting in April 2023, Metallica is set to visit twenty-two different cities around the world and playing two nights in each city, with each being part of a "No Repeat Weekend" show which will feature two different set lists which includes deep cuts from the band's catalog. Two day tickets for each show went on sale on December 2, 2022, with single tickets being later made available to the general public on January 20, 2023.
Five Finger Death Punch were originally slated to support Metallica in the select 2023 European shows along with Ice Nine Kills, but pulled out due to lead vocalist Ivan Moody having to undergo and fully recover from hernia surgery. As a result, Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen replaced Five Finger Death Punch in Amsterdam, and Dutch symphonic metal band Epica also filled in for further European shows in Paris, Hamburg, and Gothenburg. In Inglewood on August 27, 2023, Moody fell ill with the flu, and his vocal duties in Five Finger Death Punch were taken over by Phil Labonte, Howard Jones and AJ Channer for the show. The September 3, 2023 performance was later postponed to September 9, 2023 when James Hetfield had tested positive for COVID-19. Suicidal Tendencies replaced Ice Nine Kills as an opening act shortly after the Glendale performance was rescheduled.
The shows in Arlington, Texas on August 18 and August 20, 2023 were recorded and released in cinemas worldwide for one night only for each show (international screenings were shown a day later on August 19 and August 21 to suit local time zones). Both shows were directed by Gene McAuliffe. The shows featured new instrumentals written especially for the events. "GBA" on Night 1 and "Alligator Patch" on Night 2, both composed and performed by Hammett and Trujillo only.
Reception
The tour was met with positive reviews from music and entertainment critics. While having given the opening night performance in Amsterdam on April 27, 2023, 4 out of 5 stars, Ali Shutler of NME stated that Metallica was still the greatest heavy metal band around, while Eleanor Goodman from Metal Hammer who gave the performance that same night 5 out of 5 stars, affirmed that the band had thrown the world's biggest heavy metal party.
Set list
Sample set list
The following setlists were performed at the Johan Cruyff Arena on April 27 and 29, 2023 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and are not intended to represent a majority of the shows throughout the tour.
Night One
"Orion" "For Whom the Bell Tolls" "Holier Than Thou" "King Nothing" "Lux Æterna" "Screaming Suicide" "Fade to Black" "Sleepwalk My Life Away" "Nothing Else Matters" "Sad but True" "The Day That Never Comes" "Ride the Lightning" "Battery" "Fuel" "Seek & Destroy" "Master of Puppets"
Night Two
"The Call of Ktulu" "Creeping Death" "Leper Messiah" "Until It Sleeps" "72 Seasons" "If Darkness Had a Son" "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" "You Must Burn!" "The Unforgiven" "Wherever I May Roam" "Harvester of Sorrow" "Moth into Flame" "Fight Fire with Fire" "Whiskey in the Jar" "One" "Enter Sandman"