Live Review: Metallica – London Stadium, Night 2
5th July 2026
Support: Pantera, Avatar
Words & Photos: Tim Finch
Following on from Night 1 of this epic Metallica weekender in the nations capital, we’re back at the Olympic Stadium for night two of Metallica’s M72 show. Sixteen classic tracks were aired on Friday night and the living legends are about to weight in with sixteen more tonight, with not a single song repeated from Friday night!
Kicking things off though were the always fun Avatar, there is something about this band that will win over even the most hardened gate keepers of our genre. Through forty minutes the band highlighted what they are about, melding melodic death metal, with more traditional classic heavy stylings and a whole host of sounds in between. The closing salvo of ‘The Dirt I’m Buried In’ and the ever popular ‘Hail The Apocalypse’ stamped the bands mark on the show, those Metalli-fans who weren’t aware of this band before are now, and it seems they’ve won them all over.
Pantera need no introduction, and although this is a mere 50% of the classic line up, the songs hit as hard now as they ever have. A barefooted Phil Anselmo roars as he and Rex, with the backing of Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society) and Charlie Benante (Anthrax), hit through all the classics. With nearl 90,000 fans singing ‘Fucking Hostile’ is there any better atmosphere to be in on a warm Sunday evening.
Despite the joy the previous two bands have brought, it’s the headliners we are all here to see.
As 90,000 strong fans gather around the bands stage in the centre of the stadium expectant and awaiting round two that sound kicks in again, Ennio Morricone’s ‘The Ecstasy of Gold’ has a way of building the atmosphere for a show like no other and as the song dies down four figures appear from the darkness, Metallica are here again.
Tonight the band launch straight into the classic ‘Whiplash’ and as that electric atmosphere builds the band is swathed in blue light as that familiar bass intro to ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’. The anthems from ‘Ride The Lightning’ keep rolling and it’s straight into the albums title track next, lightning flickering across the eight screens as the crowd signs in unison.
‘The Memory Remains’, complete with crowd filling Marianne Faithfuls vocals, leads us into the newer segment of the show which gives us ’72 Seasons’ and ‘Screaming Suicide’. Followed by the ever present Rob/Kirk jam. Tonight, on the anniversary of ‘Back To The Beginning’ we get a tribute to Ozzy with a Sabbath jam leading us into local lads the Sex Pistols.
‘The Day That Never Comes’ was a welcome to edition to the setlist, followed by a truly underrated classic in ‘Wherever I May Roam’. ‘The Call of Kuthulu’ is the weekends second instrumental (following Friday nights rendition of ‘Orion’), which James again dedicated to the late, great Cliff Burton. After ‘The Unforgiven’ the band tease us with a jam of the intro to ‘Frayed Ends of Sanity’ but alas it ends up leading us to Thin Lizzy cover ‘Whiskey In The Jar’.
‘Blackened’ lifts everyone’s spirits as the atmosphere rises once more before the pyro kicks in with the now regular Moth Into Flame’. Despite the songs young age it is now an ever present staple of these double header shows and the fans love it.
By now Metallica are raging thirty songs into their double header in London and it’s time to pull out the big guns. The eight huge screens flicker back into life as the intro to ‘One’ with its usual war themed animation rolls across the video walls. Just as the fans get ready to rest their neck from an eight minute hand banging marathon its onto set closer ‘Enter Sandman’, which may be a little over played these days. However as you watch 90,000 fans pump their first in unison and you realise just why they play it so much, it is a sight to behold.
Over two days and thirty two songs Metallica have wowed a huge audience in London to close the third European leg of the M72 tour. For Metallica fans, these two nights back to back in the same town, with two completely different sets is an emotion, life affirming moment. Its unlikely the band will extend the M72 tour for a forth Euro leg, so we all wait in anticipation of when they might announce what comes next. For the rest of the year however, some lucky ones head to Vegas for their residency at The Sphere!
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