Metallica is one of the most popular and influential heavy metal bands of all time. Formed in 1981, the band has sold over 125 million albums worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands ever. Metallica is known for their fast tempos, aggressive musicianship, and dark lyrical themes. Some of their most well-known songs include “Enter Sandman,” “One,” “Master of Puppets,” and “Nothing Else Matters.”
In 2022, Metallica announced they would be embarking on the M72 world tour starting in April 2023 to celebrate their 72nd career show and 40th anniversary as a band. As one of the biggest rock acts in the world, Metallica concerts routinely sell out stadiums and have expensive resale ticket prices. Fans are anxiously awaiting the chance to see Metallica live, especially since the M72 tour will feature two separate sets at each show, offering over two hours of live Metallica material.
With high fan demand and a limited number of tour dates, Metallica tickets are in very short supply. Prices for seats near the stage can easily run over $1000 per ticket when buying from resellers and ticket brokers. Even upper deck or general admission seats are typically over $200 each.
What are the M72 tour dates and locations?
The M72 world tour kicks off on April 27, 2023 in Amsterdam at the Johan Cruijff Arena. Metallica will be touring extensively across Europe through May and June, hitting major markets like Paris, Hamburg, Milan, and Madrid.
On August 4, 2023, the tour shifts to North America for dates in major cities until September 29. The US cities include Detroit, Chicago, Boston, New York, Washington DC, Charlotte, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
After the North American leg finishes, Metallica has additional dates scheduled in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan to round out 2023. Specific dates for the Australia/New Zealand and Japanese legs are still to be determined.
Below is the current schedule for the M72 world tour:
Date | City | Venue |
---|---|---|
April 27, 2023 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Johan Cruijff Arena |
May 5, 2023 | Paris, France | Stade de France |
May 10, 2023 | Hamburg, Germany | Volksparkstadion |
May 20, 2023 | Milan, Italy | San Siro Stadium |
June 16, 2023 | Madrid, Spain | Estadio Metropolitano |
August 4, 2023 | Detroit, MI | Ford Field |
August 11, 2023 | Chicago, IL | Soldier Field |
August 18, 2023 | Boston, MA | Gillette Stadium |
August 25, 2023 | New York, NY | MetLife Stadium |
September 1, 2023 | Washington, DC | FedEx Field |
September 3, 2023 | Charlotte, NC | Bank of America Stadium |
September 8, 2023 | Atlanta, GA | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
September 20, 2023 | Houston, TX | NRG Stadium |
September 22, 2023 | Dallas, TX | AT&T Stadium |
September 26, 2023 | Denver, CO | Empower Field at Mile High |
October 1, 2023 | Las Vegas, NV | Allegiant Stadium |
October 8, 2023 | Vancouver, BC | BC Place |
October 10, 2023 | Los Angeles, CA | SoFi Stadium |
October 12, 2023 | San Francisco, CA | Levi’s Stadium |
How much will tickets cost in each city?
Ticket prices for the M72 tour will vary city by city. Generally speaking, tickets will be most expensive in major metropolitan areas like New York, Los Angeles, and London where demand is highest. Smaller markets like Charlotte or Denver will have relatively cheaper tickets.
The closest and best seats like floor seats or lower bowl seats will always command the highest prices, especially directly in front of the stage. For field or floor seats, prices typically start at around $500 and go up to $1,500+ per seat. Lower bowl seating will range from $200-$500 per seat depending on city and proximity to stage.
The cheapest seats will be in the upper decks (upper balcony in indoor arenas) and tend to run between $90-$200 per seat. Keep in mind the cheapest seats will have the worst viewing angles and be farthest from the band.
Below is a table estimating the starting price ranges for Metallica tickets in each city on the tour. Prices are especially subject to change and can fluctuate leading up to the concert dates:
City | Floor Seats | Lower Bowl Seats | Upper Bowl/Deck Seats |
---|---|---|---|
Amsterdam | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$250 |
Paris | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$250 |
Hamburg | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$250 |
Milan | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$250 |
Madrid | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$250 |
Detroit | $500+ | $200-$400 | $90-$150 |
Chicago | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$200 |
Boston | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$200 |
New York | $600+ | $300-$600 | $150-$300 |
Washington | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$200 |
Charlotte | $500+ | $150-$300 | $75-$150 |
Atlanta | $500+ | $200-$400 | $100-$200 |
Houston | $500+ | $200-$400 | $100-$200 |
Dallas | $500+ | $200-$400 | $100-$200 |
Denver | $500+ | $150-$300 | $75-$150 |
Las Vegas | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$250 |
Vancouver | $500+ | $150-$300 | $75-$150 |
Los Angeles | $600+ | $300-$600 | $150-$300 |
San Francisco | $500+ | $250-$500 | $100-$250 |
Where to find the best deals on tickets?
With tickets in such high demand, it can take some savvy shopping skills to find Metallica tickets for reasonable prices. Here are some tips on getting the best deals:
- Buy early – Prices will only go up as the events get closer to selling out. Buying tickets as early as possible gives you the best chance at deals.
- Join Metallica’s fan club – Official fan club members get early access to ticket presales before the general public. This gives you first pick of seats before resellers can buy them up.
- Check venue and promoter presales – Venues and concert promoters often have special presales for newsletter subscribers and credit card holders. Sign up for presale codes.
- Shop around – Prices can vary between different sellers, so check major vendors like Ticketmaster, Stubhub, Vivid Seats, etc and compare.
- Consider general admission/lawn seats – The upper level and lawn sections will have the most affordable tickets if you’re on a budget.
- Wait for price drops – As it gets closer to concert dates, sellers may drop prices on unsold tickets to avoid getting stuck with them.
Using presales, buying early, and comparing major ticket sellers are going to be your best bets for finding Metallica tickets under face value. Be prepared to pay higher premiums for seats close to the stage or in major cities.
When do tickets go on sale?
Most tickets for the M72 tour will go on sale to the general public sometime in February 2023. However, there will be special presales ahead of the public on-sale dates.
Fan club members and VIP package buyers will get first access during an exclusive presale typically a week before the general on-sale. Venues and Ticketmaster then hold presales for newsletter subscribers and credit card holders in the few days leading up to the public on-sale date.
Official on-sale dates have not been announced yet, but expect them to be in mid to late February based on the tour starting in late April. Registering for the various presales is highly recommended to get early access before the best tickets are gone.
Once tickets go on sale to the general public, they will be available on Ticketmaster.com for North America dates and through Eventim for most shows in Europe.
Can you still get good seats if you wait?
If you wait to buy Metallica M72 tickets until the last minute, you will have a hard time finding anything except single seats and the worst sections. Metal fans tend to buy tickets very quickly, so most desirable seats are purchased within the first few hours or days of the on-sale.
Your best chance of getting decent seats is to buy early during the presales. This gives you access before the hugely popular floor sections and lower bowl are all sold out to resellers. Waiting until the general on-sale dates will seriously limit options and lead to paying higher resale prices.
However, if you are shopping very close to concert dates, it can be worth checking back often for last minute ticket drops. Sellers may release held-back inventory or drop prices at the last second on unsold seats. Just don’t expect to have your pick of seat locations if you wait beyond the first day or two of sales.
Are VIP packages or meet & greets available?
Metallica is offering special enhanced experiences and meet & greet opportunities as part of their M72 tour. There are three tiers of VIP packages available:
- Black Box Experience – Includes a seat in the first 10 rows, VIP entrance, tour poster, and merchandise item. Priced around $500.
- Gold Experience – Features premium reserved seat inside the first 20 rows, VIP entrance, merchandise, poster, and more. Around $300.
- Silver Experience – Gets you a reserved seat in lower bowl, VIP entrance, merchandise, poster, and additional perks. Roughly $200-$250.
The highest tier M72 packages offer a pre-show meet & greet plus photo with Metallica along with everything mentioned above. There are extremely limited quantities available and these sell out almost immediately during the presales.
Metallica also holds auctions for experiences like watching the band soundcheck from the front row. Prices for these ultra-exclusive encounters can easily exceed several thousand dollars.
Given the extremely high demand, act fast if you want any sort of VIP treatment at a Metallica show. The allocation of packages is always quite small compared to the overall crowd.
What are tips for buying tickets?
Here are some top tips for securing Metallica M72 tour tickets:
- Sign up for Metallica’s Fifth Member fan club – this unlocks access to the exclusive presale with the best ticket inventory.
- Register for venue and Ticketmaster presales – have logins ready for all presales to increase your chances.
- Be ready right at presale start time – tickets sell out extremely quickly so you need to be ready the instant they go on sale.
- Buy during presales, if possible – this is before brokers and resellers scoop up the tickets.
- Act fast once tickets go on sale to general public – popular seats like the floor will sell out in minutes.
- Download the Ticketmaster app – for quick checkout and conveniently storing tickets on your phone.
- Have payment details saved – no time to enter payment info with these in demand tickets.
- Focus on best value seats – you’ll overpay for marginally better seats near the stage.
- If shopping resale, stick to major sites – ensures legitimacy versus unknown resellers.
Preparing ahead of time and acting quickly through presales or on-sale dates will give you the best shot at great seats for reasonable prices. It takes effort to beat out the competition from huge Metallica fans and ticket brokers.
Conclusion
Seeing Metallica live on their milestone 72nd career show M72 tour is a heavy metal dream come true.Demand will be sky-high, especially in major cities, driving up resale ticket prices to exorbitant amounts. By joining fan club and promoter presales, buyers can get first crack at seats for face value prices before the most desirable tickets hit the secondary market.
Floor seats and lower bowls near the stage will go for $500+ even initially in many cities. Upper decks and lawn seats provide more affordable options for budget metal fans. VIP packages with exclusive access, premium merchandise, and meet & greets will also sell out instantly to diehard Metallica devotees.
Tactics like presale codes and lightning fast checkout on your phone are essential to compete with scalpers and other fans. The M72 tour will undoubtedly be one of the toughest and most expensive concert tickets of 2023. With smart preparation and perseverance during the presales, determined Metallica fans can still score amazing seats before brokers try to snatch them all up at crazy markups.