REVIEW: Metallica w/ Limp Bizkit, Ice Nine Kills | 5.3.25 @ Nissan Stadium [PHOTOS]

Metallica
w/ Limp Bizkit, Ice Nine Kills
Nissan Stadium; Nashville, TN
May 3, 2025

Review by Philip Obenschain. Photos by Mary-Beth Blankenship.

Few artists in the history of music have ever been as singularly synonymous with their genre as metal legends Metallica, who have, in their near 45-year existence, seen subgenres and fashion fads and mainstream interest in metal come and go, all the while remaining its most famous, persistent, influential, and culturally relevant act, attracting multiple generations of fans and becoming more popular than ever over the years. There’s no stronger evidence for the group’s enduring impact than their sprawling, stadium-sized M72 World Tour, which kicked off more than two years ago, and finally brought them back to Nashville for an impressive two nights at Nissan Stadium, by far their biggest shows in Music City ever, after decades of performing at venues like Municipal Auditorium, the former Starwood Amphitheatre, Bridgestone Arena (where they last played in 2019, their first Nashville show in a decade), and of course a legendary secret show at The Basement. A cool aspect of this tour is that no songs are repeated in cities with multiple shows, meaning fans were treated to an entirely different experience at each, complete with different openers. Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies opened up night one, and at night two, which we attended, it was Limp Bizkit and Ice Nine Kills. Shows at Nissan- a venue few artists are big enough to fill, much less twice- are always a spectacle, but seeing heavy metal at this scale was something really cool and unlike anything else we’ve witnessed in the soon-to-be-demolished (and replaced) NFL stadium. Read on for more about our epic night at Metallica!

Earlier in the week, it seemed like Thursday’s show would be rained out, and Saturday’s would be clear and unseasonably cool, but, in typical unpredictable spring weather fashion, the night one attendees got a pretty perfect and clear evening, and Saturday was hit with some spotty rain. It didn’t deter thousands of Metallica fans for still making their way into the stadium early though, and as I took my seat, poncho in hand, I was greeted but an excited, metal tee-clad crowd waiting for Ice Nine Kills to take the stage. The most recent Nissan shows I’ve attended have been pop tours like Taylor Swift and Beyonce, so needless to say, this crowd looked quite different, skewing older and more male, but- again, a testament to Metallica’s enduring popularity- not exclusively so, which I noted as I chatted with a dad and his teen daughter next to me, apparently attending her first concert ever (rock on, Gen Z). As someone who grew up on the punk, emo, and hardcore scene in the Warped Tour and Hot Topic heyday, Ice Nine Kills are a band who’ve always been on my radar, but not one I’ve listened to a ton (I’m just not a huge metalcore guy- especially the poppier, 2010s version it).

I’d seen photos and video clips of this tour’s unique stage, but seeing it in person, it felt even lower and more intimate than I imagined, putting the bands right in the middle of the GA crowd (or the mosh pit, if you will). I was seated, but right beside it, giving me a clear view when Ice Nine Kills took the stage and launched into “Ex-Mørtis.” Dressed in dapper outfits, if you didn’t know their sound, you might think it more like a 2000s-era Fall Out Boy or Panic! at the Disco, and though they definitely do have a lot of melodic sensibility and even some unconventional instrumentation like sax, they’re still very much rooted in a modern metalcore sound. I wasn’t sure to what extent the horror iconography that informs their themes and aesthetic would be incorporated into a shorter, opening set like this, but it was much more theatrical and over the top than I expected, with people dressed like killers and ghouls and even Art the Clown from Terrifier appearing and performing bloody stunts and bits throughout the show (at one point a fake baby was being twirled around by an umbilical cord, making me think of purely shock rock type performances like GWAR). If I’m being perfectly honest, the set didn’t do much to win me over on their music, but I found their live show highly entertaining. Even if stripped of all of the horror gimmicks, they sounded tight and played with a lot of energy, and did a solid job opening such a massive show.

Though it rained a bit during Ice Nine, the weather had cleared up by the time they finished, and after a quick changeover, it was time for set number two: Limp Bizkit. I think any guy who was between the ages of ten and 20 at the turn of the millennium (I was 12) probably had a Limp Bizkit phase. I certainly did, as nu metal briefly captured the zeitgeist and the Florida rockers between the poster boys for millennial teen angst. Like many of my peers though, I traded the blunt aggression of nu metal for the more sensitive and catchy pop punk and emo that would rule the rock world a few years later, and by late teens and twenties, when I began to both make and write about music myself, and saw my taste drastically expand both to more classic artists and the indie explosion of the aughts, nu metal felt like an awkward phase best left forgotten. But also, like many of my peers, nostalgia worked its magic as years passed, and suddenly, as a 30-something, no longer worried about how “cool” my taste in music is, and watching Gen Z inexplicably reclaim nu metal, throwing on those old Linkin Park, Korn, Slipknot, and, of course, Limp Bizkit records started to resonate with a new type of unironic fun, only further affirmed by a career-reinvigorating Limp Bizkit livestream at Coachella 2021, setting the internet ablaze (I’ve also been fascinated by Fred Durst’s acting career, which has led to to roles in excellent, obscure indie films like last year’s I Saw the TV Glow).

That’s a long preamble to say: I was fucking pumped for Limp Bizkit, who’ve apparently not played Nashville since the ’90s, and who I never had a chance to see live as a teen. The group did not disappoint, entering to “Sweet Home Alabama” before making the bold choice to START their set with iconic, angsty anthem “Break Stuff,” instantly getting the crowd (who’d filled out considerably) pumped up, and looking as giddy to see the band as I was. Unlike some of those big fest appearances, Durst was rocking a relatively normal fit of a letter jacket and a cap (vs. a costume, as he’s occasionally opted to do) and even Wes Borland, known for his elaborate outfits and body paint, looked relatively tame by Borland standards, rocking a colorful painted outfit, a pink V-neck guitar, and a sort of mohawk-clad and mosaic looking luchador style head mask. While Ice Nine Kills were kind sort of stationed on one side of the stage (singer Spencer Charnas did his best to roam around), LB were fairly spaced out, and all spent much of the performance roaming around the circular performance space, giving the whole stadium a good view. Nearly the entire set- which clocked in at a generous hour- came from their breakout 2000 album Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water, which is exactly what I wanted from a Limp Bizkit show after all these years, and group, now mostly in their 50s (and still the same lineup from that album’s era) managed to channel all of the intensity and visceral punch as back in the day.

One of the most surprising moments came when Durst mentioned growing up in North Carolina, but liking Tennessee even more, before announcing that he’d quietly moved to nearby Franklin- a fact I believe he was serious about (you’re telling me that if the AI turns on us, we could actually end up in the plot of the film Y2k with Fred??). I recognized every song they played (some of the deeper cuts, like “Full Nelson” and “Livin’ It Up” I hadn’t thought about in years), but obviously the hits like “Nookie,” “My Way,” and “Rollin'” landed the hardest, eliciting mosh pits, singalongs, and a whole lot of nostalgia. The only newer tune that made the cut was “Dad Vibes,” but for the most part, this performance felt right out of the early 2000s in the best way possible. Needless to say I had a blast, and next to actually seeing them 25 years ago, I think catching Limp Bizkit now, when I’ve come full circle to appreciate them again, was the most welcome scenario I could’ve hoped for. All of Metallica’s openers are cool on this tour, but I’m so happy I caught this lineup.

Coming off of that Limp Bizkit high, I scrolled my phone during the changeover, only to see that the fine folks at NashSevereWX had warned about a lightning storm headed towards downtown. Then, sure enough, minutes later a take shelter order was issued, causing us to have to move to the interior of the stadium, just as it began to pour rain (the big downside of outdoor shows in the spring). It wouldn’t last too long though, delaying the show only about 45 minutes, with Metallica finally taking the stage around 9:30, about an hour and a half after Limp Bizkit concluded. By then the skies had dried, everyone was piled back into their seats, and the sun had long set, with Metallica’s LED towers- the primary form of production for their unorthodox stage- illuminating the venue and teasing their start. AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” began to play (a band who’ll be rocking the same stadium soon, though I think Metallica use their music as a regular intro) followed by classic walk out tune “The Ecstasy of Gold” from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, as Metallica took the stage. I saw their last Nashville show back in 2019, with a similar sort of middle-of-the-venue immersive staging, but adapting that setup at arena scale was really cool to witness (and I’m sure doubly cool for everyone in the pit, especially those in the center of the stage itself, an exclusive area called the Snake Pit). Unlike the openers, Metallica’s set up allowed them to fully make use of the entire circle, with multiple mics, platforms, and even periodic rotation of Lars Ulrich’s drum kit. I like Metallica a lot but I won’t profess to the most knowledgable, diehard fan of all time, and I tend to prefer their easier stuff when they were a relentless, straight up trash metal band. Lucky for me, Metallica seems to favor that era too, and most of their set came from their first five album, ’83-’91 classic run.

I took at peak at the May 1 set, so I knew already what was off the table and what we were likely to get, and for my money, night two got the stronger setlist, especially if you’re a big Ride the Lightning fan like me. Kicking things off with their first single ever, 1983’s gut-punching “Whiplash,” the rockers immediately proved they haven’t lost a single step in the 42 years since, shredding with all the propulsive and unrelenting metal spirit that made them the most enduring band of their era. Sticking with the classics, they launched next into “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” with frontman James Hetfield, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, and bassist Robert Trujillo (still the “new guy” of the lineup, though he’s been in the band for more than half their existence at this point) roaming around the stage as they shredded through the tune’s hypnotic, sludgy riffs. Things picked up next with “Ride the Lightning,” again affirming the group’s incredible stamina even now in their 60s, as Hetfield’s guttural growl sounded as powerful and chat-along worthy as ever, and alternating guitar work just as impressive.

Metallica did a good job sequining the set in a way that flowed really well, transitioning, after that opening nostalgia power bomb, to some new stuff, first with late ’90s tune “The Memory Remains” (ok, that one’s not that new) and then a couple from 2023’s most recent, 72 Seasons. I actually think Seasons is pretty badass- more like old Metallica than anything they’ve made in the last 20 years- and while, sure, a tour like this, in the era of “Eras Tours,” really begs to focus on the hits, I thought “Lux Æterna” and “Too Far Gone?” both sounded pretty great live, and the band seemed to genuinely be having fun jamming on some songs they haven’t played 10,000 times yet. It wouldn’t be long until they turned back the dial again though, after an extended solo jam with Kirk and Rob, which even included a little Dolly Parton, getting the crowd hyped when James and Lars returned and launched into the iconic intro for “Fade to Black” (did I mention how lucky I felt to be at night two?). Probably one of the first songs I learned in my early teens when I first started playing in bands and getting into ’80s and ’90s rock, “Fade to Black” has to be one of the best power ballads in musical history, and it still absolutely rips live, especially when it kicks in on all cylinders with the solos in the second half.

A run of a couple more classics would follow, with the first song of the evening from the band’s eponymous (or “Black”) album, “Wherever I May Roam,” followed by another Lightning favorite “The Call of Ktulu,” which James dedicated to their original bassist Cliff Burton (who, if you’re unaware, tragically passed away in an accident shortly after the band’s early fame). I realized that maybe this slower block of the two-hours show was deliberate, to give the rockers a bit of a breather, and the next song, perhaps the band’s second-most famous power ballad, “The Unforgiven,” seemed only to confirm this theory, showcasing Metallica’s more vibey, hypnotic, solo-heavy groove side (as I mentioned, I LOVE “Fade to Black,” but as a whole, my favorite mode of Metallica is the fast, face-melting thrash stuff). The pace picked up again with the last 72 Seasons song of the set though, “Inamorata,” perfectly segueing into a killer final run of songs.

I didn’t even need to look a the clock to know we were in the home stretch, as things kicked into overdrive one more with speedy thrash classic “Fight Fire with Fire,” which, appropriately, was accompanied by a barrage of pyrotechnics, with tall flames shooting from the stage in what appeared to be mere feet from the crowd. As mentioned, the stage itself was a circular, low-set, intimate platform that put the band right in the middle of the crowd, with multiple spots for drums and mics and raised platforms. Given its shape though, there wasn’t a spot for conventional stage lights, meaning a combination of low set moving lights, a series of aforementioned tours (with LED screens and lights of their own), and a few lights scattered around the edges of the arena made up the bulk of the production. Compared to some other big arena pop shows we’ve covered, Metallica’s production was fairly minimalist and small, letting the intimacy of the performance and the pure metal spirit do the heavy lifting. But still, I was glad to see things kick up a notch towards the end, with more moody lights and pyro really adding the feel of a grand finale. The fire theme continued with “Moth into Flame,” from 2016’s Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (another late career high-mark), but it was the last two songs- arguably the group’s two most famous ever- that really landed the spectacular show in the most epic fashion. First was “One,” certainly one of the more unique songs in Metallica’s catalogue, with its uncharacteristically clean and classic rock start, and transition into thick, theatrical, speed metal builds, with machine gun-esque drums and epic dueling solos. It’s a song that really bridges the two sides of Metallica, and one I’ll never not be dazzled by live.

Of course, since I knew it wasn’t played on night one, I knew where we were inevitably ending- with perhaps the signature Metallica song- “Enter Sandman.” From the iconic opening riff, the thumping build, to the most quintessential sing-along chorus in metal, the classic ’91 banger had the audience going absolutely nuts one last time (I felt a Wayne’s World style “we’re not worthy” wouldn’t have been out of place), basking in the greatness of Metallica and reaffirming my faith in the power of rock. One important note about this M72 Tour, despite its grandiosity and spectacle, is that it is very decisively not any sort of farewell tour. 45 years in, Metallica seem as vibrant, important, and relevant as ever, and are already buzzing about another album, and I have every expectation that we’ll be seeing a 50th anniversary tour in 2031. Here’s hoping it returns them to Nashville, for another unforgettable show!

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Setlist:

Whiplash
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Ride the Lightning
The Memory Remains
Lux Æterna
Too Far Gone?
Fade to Black
Wherever I May Roam
The Call of Ktulu
The Unforgiven
Inamorata
Fight Fire With Fire
Moth Into Flame
One
Enter Sandman