Metallica wants to rock the Super Bowl — and maybe the Las Vegas Sphere too
Speaking with Howard Stern on SiriusXM on Wednesday, Aug. 6, Ulrich acknowledged rumors that the metal legends could stage a residency at the Sphere, following in the footsteps of U2 and Dead & Company.
While he stopped short of confirming plans, Ulrich made clear his enthusiasm.
'I'm not going to confirm anything, because there's nothing to confirm,' the drummer for the Bay Area hard rock band said. 'But I'm not going to deny it, because we're all such fans of this venue. It's something that we're considering — nothing is etched in stone or green-lit.'
Ulrich was among the audience for U2's opening night at the Sphere and described the experience as transformative.
'I was completely blown away, and felt that was the beginning of another chapter in live performances,' he said. 'It's not signed, sealed and delivered, but speaking to me and asking my opinion, I would f—king love to do it.'
Ulrich also voiced a strong interest in playing the Super Bowl halftime show — especially since the 2026 game will take place near Metallica's hometown of San Francisco at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, where it headlined two shows in June.
'F—k yeah, of course we would,' he told Stern. 'First of all, we would do it. Second of all, to do it in San Francisco would be a dream come true and would be the right fit. …Certainly, as somebody who's represented San Francisco all over the world and shouted for decades about San Francisco and our love for the Bay Area, that part of it is the right fit. Ultimately, it's not our decision.'
The band is currently gearing up for an intimate performance at the 250-capacity Stephen Talkhouse in Long Island on Aug. 28 to launch its new SiriusXM channel, Maximum Metallica.
The channel debuts Aug. 29 and will feature deep cuts, live shows, interviews and rarities — all curated by the band.
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