Metallica‘s “M72” world tour, celebrated for its unique in-the-round stage and “No Repeat Weekend” format, has elevated its visual spectacle by integrating the Pixera media server system from AV Stumpfl. This technological upgrade significantly enhances the tour’s immense video setup, which features eight 100-foot-tall towers, each equipped with three 50×30-foot LED screens, totaling 24 individual surfaces – a design masterminded by creative director and production designer Dan Braun. You can watch the video down below.
The “M72” tour, which began in 2023 and consistently draws over 80,000 fans per night, demands a sophisticated technical foundation to realize its ambitious artistic vision. Metallica’s adoption of Pixera, initially trialed at the 2023 SoundStorm festival, has proven to be a game-changer. “Pixera’s rendering capabilities, especially for Notch effects, are unmatched,” stated Tom Denney, media server engineer for the tour. He emphasized the system’s robust performance: “These boxes handle up to two simultaneous Notch effects without dropping frames, which is critical for our 38-camera setup and dynamic visuals.”
David Leonard, the tour’s media server programmer and operator, echoed this praise, highlighting Pixera’s reliability and adaptability. “Pixera version 25 has been great,” he remarked. “I’ve had zero drops or restarts. The layer-based interface and tools like layer referencing make it easy to manage 50 different screen mappings per show, keeping the visuals fresh and immersive.” Leonard’s workflow involves programming a timeline for each song, then constructing his cue list based on Metallica’s set for the evening. This on-the-fly adaptability is essential, as Metallica’s setlists, drawn from their extensive discography, are often finalized just before the performance.
The Pixera system, consisting of eight servers (four main and four redundant),ensures seamless operation with a true one-to-one redundancy workflow. “The band and creative team prioritize reliability, and Pixera delivers,” Denney confirmed. “Each tower receives a 4K signal, and our utility machine handles additional outputs for festivals or broadcasts, like when we streamed to 3,000 cinemas worldwide.” The system’s substantial 16-terabyte drives (upgradable to 60TB) easily manage the tour’s 3.5TB content folder per show, facilitating smooth transitions between the primary “Tower Show” and various festival configurations without time-consuming offloading.
These eight Pixera servers are integrated into one of the six custom “barges” that form the tour’s video infrastructure. Fiber optic lines connect the video director’s central control point to the racks located within the eight towers, even across hundreds of meters within the stadium. “The barges cut our server and camera setup time to under an hour, despite hundreds of cables,” Denney explained. “Pixera‘s Hub tool simplifies managing eight servers, from network configuration to fan speeds, making our workflow incredibly efficient.”
Video director Gene McAuliffe, who championed the adoption of Pixera, lauded its creative potential. Leonard recalled discussions with McAuliffe, noting: “The system lets us play with perspective, wrapping visuals across multiple towers or isolating them for impact. It’s about giving fans a unique view from every angle.” The responsiveness of the Pixera team has also been a crucial factor. “From SoundStorm to now, their support is the best I’ve experienced,” Denney added. “Whether it’s a bug fix or a new feature, they’re responsive across time zones.”
Throughout the recent 10-week U.S. leg, Pixera empowered the “M72” tour to push creative boundaries, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge technology with the raw live energy that Metallica delivers at every performance. “Pixera feels future-proof,” Leonard confidently stated. “We’re already planning to adapt these files for other shows — it’s that versatile.”
Metallica: M72 World Tour – Upcoming Dates
2025
November – Australia & New Zealand
- Nov 1: Perth, Australia – Optus Stadium
- Nov 5: Adelaide, Australia – Adelaide Oval
- Nov 8: Melbourne, Australia – Marvel Stadium
- Nov 12: Brisbane, Australia – Suncorp Stadium
- Nov 15: Sydney, Australia – Accor Stadium
- Nov 19: Auckland, New Zealand – Eden Park
December – Middle East
- Dec 3: Sakhir, Bahrain – Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre
- Dec 6: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix, Yas Island
2026
May – Europe
- May 9: Athens, Greece – Olympic Stadium
- May 13: Bucharest, Romania – Arena Națională
- May 19: Chorzów, Poland – Stadion Śląski
- May 22: Frankfurt, Germany – Deutsche Bank Park
- May 24: Frankfurt, Germany – Deutsche Bank Park
- May 27: Zürich, Switzerland – Stadion Letzigrund
- May 30: Berlin, Germany – Olympiastadion
June – Europe
- Jun 3: Bologna, Italy – Stadio Renato Dall’Ara
- Jun 11: Budapest, Hungary – Puskás Aréna
- Jun 13: Budapest, Hungary – Puskás Aréna
- Jun 19: Dublin, Ireland – Aviva Stadium
- Jun 21: Dublin, Ireland – Aviva Stadium
- Jun 25: Glasgow, Scotland – Hampden Park
- Jun 28: Cardiff, Wales – Principality Stadium
July – England
- Jul 3: London, England – London Stadium
- Jul 5: London, England – London Stadium
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