Metallica made the most of their first show of 2026, delivering a hit-packed sixteen-song set Saturday night at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.
You can see the full set list and fan-shot video of the show below. It was the first time Metallica played live since they performed at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Dec. 5, 2025.
Unlike most of the stops on the now three-year old M72 World tour, Metallica is only playing one show in Athens, meaning fans got a more concentrated dose of the band’s biggest hits.
For example, they played both “Master of Puppets” and “Enter Sandman,” which typically close separate nights at the group’s two-night stands.
The night kicked off with a pair of songs from 1984’s Ride the Lightning, “Creeping Death” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Metallica played songs from nine of their 11 studio albums as the evening went on, skipping only 2003’s St. Anger and 2008’s Death Magnetic.
Read More: Metallica Announce ‘ReLoad’ Box Set
As usual, bassist Robert Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett paid tribute to the hosting city during their spotlight segment of the show. Tonight that meant performing “Zorba’s Dance” from the 1964 movie Zorba the Greek, followed by “De Horas Pouthena” from the experimental Greek metal band Trypes.
Metallica will spend May and June playing a blend of one and two-night stands across Europe and England. On October 1 they return to America for 24 sold-out dates at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Watch Metallica Kick Off Their First Show of 2026
Metallica May 9, 2026 Olympic Stadium Athens, Greece Set List
1. “Creeping Death”
2. “For Whom the Bell Tolls”
3. “Moth Into Flame”
4. “King Nothing”
5. “Lux Aeterna”
6. “The Unforgiven”
7. “Fuel”
8. “Zobra’s Dance” and “De Horas Pouthena” (Kirk and Rob)
9. “Fade to Black”
10. “Wherever I May Roam”
11. “Nothing Else Matters”
12. “Sad But True”
13. “One”
14. “Seek & Destroy”
15. “Master of Puppets”
16. “Enter Sandman”
Watch Metallica Perform ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls”
Watch Rob Trujillo and Kirk Hammett’s ‘Zobra’s Dance’ and ‘De Horas Pouthena‘
Metallica Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide
They became the most successful heavy metal band in history, but not without the occasional personnel shift.
Gallery Credit: Ed Rivadavia
