Metallica is one of my favorite bands, and Mandatory Metallica—SiriusXM Channel 42—has become a daily enjoyment for me. In addition to live cuts, rarities, and demos, I love their “Hero of the Day” segment, where a fan picks five songs that are special to them. Today, Carlos from San Antonio picked “Orion” as his first song—and not just any version, but the one from AT&T Stadium in Arlington on August 18, 2023. I’ve heard a few live cuts from Dallas on the channel, but this was my first from an Arlington show. Hearing it on the radio was so cool; it took me right back to that night.

I was there, and hearing this song live for the first time was truly special. It’s one of my favorite Metallica tracks and the live performance was killer. What an unforgettable weekend that was, with two Metallica concerts in my hometown as part of their M72 World Tour and “No-Repeat Weekend” sets.

Not only that, but “Orion” is a concert rarity. Despite being from their 1986 Master of Puppets album, it has been played live just over 100 times since its debut in 2005. Best of all, that Arlington performance was the first time it was ever played live in Texas!

Metallica – Orion — live from Arlington on Maximum Metallica

Metallica – Orion — Live at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas

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Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 05-03-26