Live Report: Metallica deliver pure metal mastery during their first night in Aviva Stadium

By the time we’ve made our speedy way from the Hot Press HQs to the grounds of the Aviva Stadium on Friday evening, openers Pantera have already taken to the stage. That alone is clear the second you step near Lansdowne Road, concrete roads almost trembling with the sheer stength of gritty electric guitars and ear-piercing drum sections.

Stepping into the stadium is like a whirlwind of glorious noise, already deliciously disorienting - but not enough to soften the dazzlement of taking your first look at the impossibly ambitious production of the evening. Ring shaped stage, the famously impressive snake pit, gigantic cylindrical screens mounted on even bigger pillars and a crowd almost physically twitching with built-up excitement for Metallica’s first date in the Irish capital since their 2019 stop in Slane Castle.

Pantera Supportingg Metallica at Aviva Stadium on June 19, 2026. Copyright Peter O'Hanlon/hotpress.com

8:25pm – Pantera wrapped up about half an hour ago and the pitch has steadily been getting fuller and fuller since, the 50,000 voices-strong buzz only interrupted by the ridiculously cool outro of The Good The Bad and The Ugly, accompanied by the iconic melody of Ennio Morricone’s ‘The Ecstasy of Gold’ slowly rising to the forefront.

I hope you’ve caught your breath, because occasions to do so are going to be few and far between. Metallica's first three tunes of the night, including ‘Creeping Death’, are the perfect way to delight die-hard fans from the get-go, while making sure everyone gets their mind absolutely blown by the sheer power of the metal legends. On ‘Harvester of Sorrow’, James Hetfield lets out a delighted laughter at the fans’ excitement for the track’s bridge.

Metallica at Aviva Stadium on June 19, 2026. Copyright Peter O'Hanlon/hotpress.com

Just as quickly as attendees begin throwing their arms in the air in unison, Hetfield welcomes the crowd to the “Metallica family takeover of Dublin, Ireland,” insisting, not without humour, that “we are Metallica, and so are you!”

By now, Robert Trujillo’s bass riffs have taken a comfortable seat into the audience’s ribcages, and after a maddening performance of ‘King Nothing’, Lars Ulrich’s drumkit slowly sinks into the stage before reappearing in a different corner, both hilariously disconcerting and stupidly cool. The band barely marks a pause before jumping head first into their new album’s title track ‘72 Seasons’ and ‘If Darkness Had a Son’, attention stuck to the legendary drummer as you struggle to make out his movements in this insane demonstration of speed and technicality.

Metallica at Aviva Stadium on June 21, 2026. Copyright Peter O'Hanlon/hotpress.com

About mid-way through the show, Hetfield and Ulrich vacate the stage to leave Trujillo and Kirk Hammet to entertain fans with their Kirk and Rob Doodle, where the duo offers covers of legendary tracks based on the gig’s country. Today, they pay tribute to the legendary Phil Lynott with their version of Thin Lizzy’s ‘Black Rose’, admitting to their nervousness and humility in the face of such a classic tune. Under the emotional roars of the audience, the track marks a definitive highlight of the evening.

Perhaps what jumps out the most about Metallica’s first night in Dublin is the incredible communal feeling of the event, old and new fans coming together to appreciate the full power of the heavy metal veterans. While mosh-pits are as wild as they are numerous, they are also tainted with a certain gentleness as attendees pay particular attention to each other’s safety and comfort.

Metallica at Aviva Stadium on June 19, 2026. Copyright Peter O'Hanlon/hotpress.com

Continuing with the emotional section of the show, the band dedicates ‘Orion’ and its electrifying bass riff to the late Cliff Burton, while ‘Nothing Else Matters’ elicits crowd-wide singalongs, arms wrapping around shoulders as the final ray of golden sunlight illuminates part of the seated section.

After that, it’s all frenzied riffs and visceral melodies, explosive energy taking over the stadium with ease as pyrotechnics finally erupt on ‘Fuel’.

It is all too soon that the evening reaches its conclusion with ‘Master of Puppets’, and under the wild roars of the crowd, a clearly emotional Hetfield enthuses: “Look at all this love in Dublin! It blows our minds, after 45 years!” Tonight, as we leave the Aviva with our hearts pounding and our ears ringing, it is no difficult task to understand the enduring strength of Metallica.