Metallica brings M72 tour to DC for one spectacular night
Metallica at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland on May 28, 2025 | James Todd Miller, The Music Universe
Sixteen songs spanned the band’s classic hits and new material
A crisp October night crept into late May, right where it didn’t belong. Taking the stage in Halloween climes more akin to Hawkins, Illinois than the DC metro area (Landover, Maryland to be exact), the dark and fiery music by Metallica seemed enhanced by the unseasonable chill.
An ominous cloudy ceiling had stopped raining by the time the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers started with “Creeping Death,” and offered the early surprises of both “Leper Messiah” and “The Memory Remains,” both a switch up for their single-night setlists. Northwest Stadium was one of a handful of stops with not included on the third year of M72 Tour’s “No Repeat Weekend” line up. Instead, Metallica played their fan favorites and surprises.
“Nothing Else Matters” kicked off with Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield duetting the opening on guitars as the cell phone torch lights came out. “Fuel” saw their circular stage—now an icon of live touring—ablaze in flames and fireworks.
Through it all, the group remained tight and stayed together. Literally and musically. They largely avoided the temptation of their massive circular stage to run about and goof off. Rather, when they decided to play to a separate section, they largely stayed together and focused on that area for a song or two. They moved as a unit, completing the circuit of the stage by the end of the night.
Hetfield’s voice needs no mention, as it remains in top form as the ubiquitous voice of heavy metal. In keeping with the M72 color scheme, Hetfield sported black and yellow Shure Super 55 mics, and at one point wore a themed version of his classic guitar.
Lars Ulrich had three drum positions, each of them also black and yellow. But despite the grandeur of the set up, the focus was the music. Metallica has always been masters at showing, not telling. Sure, the occasional flame makes you go “oooh,” but it’s the band playing that truly mesmerizes.
Metallica is in its fifth decade together. Through ups and downs, they’ve always found a way to top themselves. Whatever they do next, I predict this global tour will remain a defining moment in their legacy. As they ride the music like lightning, they seem to just get bigger and bigger. No Sandman entering soon for one of the original "Big Four" heavy metal acts.
