The biggest concerts in the history of Syracuse: how 47,500 Metallica fans have set a new record

It’s official: Metallica has just broken the record for the biggest concert at Ticket of all time in Syracuse, NY

More than 47,500 fans attended the metal band concert on Saturday evening at the JMA Wireless Dome, Metallica and Syracuse University confirmed on Sunday. It is bigger than the previous record of 47,319 of the former Dome carrier, established by WHO in 1982.

“Thank you, Syracuse !!! We had an incredible time to launch the # M72 tour of this year at the JMA Wireless Dome, where you have set a new attendance record for all time with more than 47,500 of you who welcome us for our first show,” wrote Metallica on social networks.

Most Dome’s concerts are installed on one end of the stadium, cutting a large number of seats behind. Metallica, on the other hand, rocked a circular scene at the 50 yards line so that the fans can fill seats around the whole stadium. 7,500 other fans stood on the ground around the stage and inside the “snake pit”, which is why the total attendance exceeded the current official capacity of 42,774 for football matches.

Metallica’s configuration was also physically gargantuan, using 79 trucks (almost four times more than the Bruce Springsteen dome concert last year) to build the scene, video, sound and lighting. The protruding facts included large curved screens to ensure that fans in the stands could see the action, as well as the pyrotechnics while the moving parts allowed the drummer Lars Ulrich to occur in several places or for bassist Robert Trujillo to perform on the pit.

Four decades earlier, the WHO sold the dome on what the British rock group said was its farewell tour. At the time, it was the most general public in the interior rock of all time in the northeast, according to the post-Standard archives. The ticket price cost $ 15 (almost $ 51 in dollars today) and the concert brought in about $ 700,000 (or $ 2.4 million adjusted for inflation of 2025).

Syracuse de Metallica tickets varied from $ 78 to more than $ 1,000 for the snake pit, probably totaling more than $ 7 million in total sales, including VIP packages. Some fans may have paid even more through resellers, in addition to all goods, such as shirts and exclusive posters in Syracuse.

It is not surprising that the demand was high for Metallica. It was the first concert of Syracuse of the rock group and roll Hall of Fame since he played Lollapalooza at the New York State Fair in 1996. It was also the first time that the group had happened in the dome, previously shaking smaller places like the war memorial with Ozzy Osbourne in 1986.

The group, also with singer-guitarist James Hetfield and guitarist Kirk Hammett, is one of the best-selling music of all time with more than 125 million albums sold worldwide. The Saturday setlist included some of their greatest successes, such as “for whom the bell tolls”, “Enter Sandman”, “Nothing other account” and “Master of Puppets”.

A single concert in Syracuse has never had a greater total attendance: the star of Country Lainey Wilson attracted 53,200 fans on the stage of the suburban park of the New York State Fair in 2023. However, the spectacle of the singer of “Heart Like a Truck” was not a ticket; The concert was free with admission to the NYS fair ($ 6 that year) and the size of the crowd was estimated by lounge managers using a formula.

These huge concerts are not common in the city of Salt. Only 37 concerts in the history of Syracuse have had crowds of 35,000 or more (see the list below). The dome only offers musical events sporadically, but has seen at least 40,000 people for the Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Genesis and the police in the 80s and 90s.

After the Dome and the Fairgrounds, the next largest stage in the city is the Federal Credit Union Empower Amphitheater in Lakeview. The 10 -year place, previously known as amphitheater Lakeview and St. Joe’s AMP, has an official capacity of 17,500, while the northern medical arena of the Once War Memorial holds 7,000 and the Landmark Theater has 2,908 seats.

Parking and traffic are always difficult for the main events of the Dome, although the officials of the University of City and Syracuse have discussed changes in the middle of the I-81 project. Some fans have complained on social networks for hours of waiting for a shuttle to the Skytop car park on the southern campus on Saturday evening.

“After the end of the concert, we all stood in the cold for 2 hours because there were a total of 4 buses,” said a comment on Facebook. “We did not go home until 5 am. I will never return to Syracuse. ”

Others were frustrated by traffic and said they had walked 45 minutes to their car in 40 degrees: “It was a huge disaster with the shuttle !!”

Metallica also attracted crowds elsewhere in the community in the days preceding the concert, including the first of the new documentary film “Metallica saved my life” in Regal Destiny USA, a pop-up shop at the Westcot Theater and charity events.

Visit Syracuse told CNYCENTER that the metallica concert generated up to $ 15 million for the local economy.

“You make us feel so well and so proud,” Hetfield told the public. “We are grateful for what we can do.”

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Syracuse’s biggest concerts of all time (by attendance)

1. Lainey Wilson – 53,200 in New York State Fair, Suburban Park, in 2023 *

2. Metallica – 47,500 at JMA Wireless Dome in 2025

3. The one who – 47,319 at Carrier Dome in 1982

4. Megan Moroney – 47,000 at the New York State Fair, Suburban Park, in 2024 *

5 (equality). The rollers – 43,000 at Carrier Dome in 1981

5 (equality). Niche – 43,000 In New York State Fair, Chevy Park, in 2022 *

7 (equality). The police – 42,000 at Carrier Dome in 1984

7 (equality). Flo Rida – 42,000 in New York State Fair, Suburban Park, in 2024 *

9. Genesis – 40,681 at Carrier Dome in 1983

10. A boogie with a hooded sweatshirt – 40 610 In New York State Fair, Chevy Court, in 2018 *

11 (Equality). Aretha Franklin – 40,000 At Syracuse Jazz Fest, Onondaga Community College, in 2007 *

11 (Equality). The rollers – 40,000 at Carrier Dome in 1989 (80,000 in two nights)

11 (Equality). Bruce Springsteen – 40,000 at Carrier Dome in 1985 (80,000 in two nights)

11 (Equality). Billy Joel – 40,000 at Carrier Dome in 1990 (80,000 in two nights)

11 (Equality). Pink Floyd – 40,000 at Carrier Dome in 1994

16. Ludacris – 39,400 in New York State Fair, Suburban Park, in 2023 *

17 (Equality). Pink Floyd – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 1987

17 (Equality). U2 – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 1987

17 (Equality). Eric Clapton – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 1990

17 (Equality). Elton John – 39,000 Chez Carrier Dome in 1992

17 (Equality). Billy Joel and Elton John – 39,000 at Carrier Dome in 2001

17 (Equality). Rick Ross – 39,000 at the New York State Fair, Suburban Park, in 2024 *

17 (Equality). City girls – 39,000 in New York State Fair, Chevy Park, in 2022 *

24. Billy Joel – 38,500 at Carrier Dome in 2006

25 (equality). New children on the block – 38,000 at Carrier Dome in 1990

25 (equality). Stranger – 38,000 in New York State Fair, Chevy Park, in 2022 *

25 (equality). Elton John – 38,000 at JMA Wireless Dome in 2022

28. Billy Joel – 37,000 at Carrier Dome in 2015

29. Band Steve Miller – 36,900 in New York State Fair, Chevy Court, in 2015 *

30. AJR – 36,397 in New York State Fair, Chevy Park, in 2021 *

31. Luke Bryan – 36,000 at Carrier Dome in 2016

32 (equality). Paul McCartney – 35,000 at JMA Wireless Dome in 2022

32 (equality). Paul McCartney – 35,000 at Carrier Dome in 2017

32 (equality). Red hot peppers – 35,000 At JMA Wireless Dome in 2023

32 (equality). Pink —35,000 at JMA Wireless Dome in 2024

32 (equality). Bruno Mars – 35,000 at the New York State Fair, Chevy Court, in 2011 *

32 (equality). Ray Charles – 35,000 at Syracuse Jazz Fest, Clinton Square, in 2000 *

Note: all figures according to official places are recorded and estimates, or post-Standard archives. The Nys Fair Chevy Park was renamed Suburban Park in 2023. The transporter dome of the University of Syracuse was renamed JMA Wireless Dome in 2022.

* Concerts with an asterisk are free; The performance of the New York State fair is free with admission to Nys Fair.