October in Vegas Brings Metallica to Sphere, Wu-Tang Farewell and More

_{Metallica’s highly anticipated residency finally kicks off at the Sphere in October. (Photo: Brett Murray / Metallica)} 

The Las Vegas music calendar is slammed from top to bottom in October. It kicks off with Metallica's highly anticipated "Life Burns Faster" at the Sphere. All 10 shows this month are sold out, and the cheapest tickets on the secondary market start at $400.

There are plenty of returning residencies spanning a wide range of genres, including R&B, rock, pop, and standards, along with vintage performers in their 80s. There's always a show for every taste, but the older performers returning to Las Vegas for limited engagements make this a special month.

Plenty of big national tours are making stops in the arenas around Las Vegas in October. Once again, variety is the spice of life, with everything from classic hip-hop to alternative rock and dance pop.

Beyond the big shows, the month ends with Halloween celebrations from Oct. 29-31. This is one of the most fun, low-key times to be in Las Vegas. As you might expect, the parties are fun, but the people-watching is more outrageous than usual.

Casinos don't like face coverings, so don't bring a mask, and most won't allow extreme face makeup or full-face paint.

Metallica's 'Life Burns Faster' Debuts

Since the Sphere opened in 2023, Metallica has been rumored to be the first hard rock band to perform at the immersive arena. That day is finally here as "Life Burns Faster" kicks off with 10 sold-out shows on Oct. 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31.

Metallica is one of the biggest rock bands in the world, playing to 80,000 or more people in stadiums and to hundreds of thousands more when headlining festivals. Not only is this a massive underplay for about 20,000 fans, but there's no other venue in the world that can host a concert with this kind of production.

What makes this even more unique is that the two shows per weekend are connected. No songs are repeated across the two nights. That's more Metallica than most people will ever see in a weekend.

If you can't make it in October, the residency returns next year with 14 more shows from Jan. through March.

Josh Groban Returns to Las Vegas

Now for something completely different. Josh Groban, the easy-listening pop star who touches gospel and opera, is returning to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace for his "Gems" residency on Oct. 2, 3, 7, 9 and 10.

The shows are a retrospective of his career, and he plays his most popular songs from every genre. He uses the theater, designed for Celine Dion's voice, to the max.

An orchestra backs him, using instrumentation designed to maximize the acoustics the venue was built for. Few performers use the venue for the kind of classic, grand performance that Celine brought to Vegas and Caesars Palace.

Three Nights with Diana Ross & Tom Jones on the Strip

Diana Ross, 82, performs three shows at Wynn on Oct. 2, 3 and 4. Later in the month, Tom Jones, 86, takes the same stage for three nights on Oct. 21, 23 and 24.

Jones is in the middle of a huge tour, while Ross recently wrapped up a short tour of casinos. They are both legendary vocalists who should be appreciated while they're still performing.

While both have performed limited dates at Wynn before, neither has announced future shows in Las Vegas. There are three nights to enjoy each of them this month.

One of the benefits of seeing concerts at the Encore Theater is the venue's intimate size. Its 1,500-person capacity is smaller than anywhere else Jones has played on his current tour.

Wu-Tang Clan “The Final Chamber Tour” Stops in Vegas

Wu-Tang Clan says its concert at T-Mobile Arena on Oct. 3 is part of its final tour. The shows are a tribute to the group and a career retrospective.

The tour includes all living members of the group, along with Young Dirty Bastard, who steps in for his late father, and longtime friend Cappadonna.

The tour started late this summer, so we have an idea of what the shows will be like. In addition to playing the group's hits, there are solo spots for Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface. As you'd imagine, there's also a tribute to Ol' Dirty Bastard by his son.

This could very well be the last time the iconic rap group performs together in Las Vegas.

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is Back in Vegas

Mary J. Blige is back in Las Vegas with another run of her "My Life, My Story" engagement at Dolby Live inside Park MGM on Oct. 23, 24, 28, 30 and 31.

Spoiler alert: Her residency show about her life starts with the song "My Life." The show moves through her life, accompanied by her extensive catalog of hits. 

Fans will be happy because she also dips into B-sides that add to her story, but wouldn't make a greatest-hits type of show.

Don't expect an epic arena concert with huge production. It's an intimate concert experience, and Blige will perform with a backing band and dancers, unlike some R&B shows.

Las Vegas residencies are known for being exclusive shows for the host venue, and that's exactly what fans get from Mary J.

Charli XCX Stops in Vegas

Charli XCX wraps up her U.S. touring for the year with a final "Music, Fashion, Film" Tour stop at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Oct. 23. In fact, she's about to wrap up touring for the year. The U.K. and European leg of the tour won't start until Feb. 2027.

This tour is set to be a full audiovisual experience, taking her Coachella performance to another level. While there's a live band, it's not the focus as much as it is on Charli XCX herself.

The shows are more like a high-energy dance party with 15,000 of your closest friends than a traditional concert. As the tour name suggests, it feels like a big fashion show with over-the-top lighting.

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