What to know about Celine Dion at Metallica’s Sphere show

This article covers Celine Dion playing air bass at Metallica’s Sphere show, her history of rock fandom and the band’s Las Vegas residency.

Celine Dion’s air bass moment took place during Metallica’s Sphere performance in Las Vegas.

• Air bass moment: Celine Dion was spotted playing air bass during Metallica’s Sphere show on Thursday, Nov. 5.
• Rock influences: Dion has said she enjoys hard rock and heavy metal, and has used AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” as a sound-check warm-up.
• Sphere residency: Metallica’s 2026 residency dates were due to conclude on Nov. 7, with additional shows scheduled for 2027.
• Rock covers: Dion has performed songs by Journey, Billy Joel, Wings and Queen.

Celine Dion’s moment at the show offers a glimpse of her longstanding interest in rock music, while Metallica’s residency brings the band’s live performances to the Las Vegas Sphere.

How did Celine Dion play air bass at Metallica’s Sphere show?

Celine Dion was spotted enthusiastically playing air bass during Metallica’s Sphere show on Thursday night, Nov. 5. The moment happened during the instrumental “doodle” section featuring bassist Robert Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett.

Dion played along with Robert Trujillo’s bass part during Metallica’s performance.

Air guitar and air drumming are familiar ways for concertgoers to play along, while Dion’s air bass stood out as a less common choice. She was seated in what appeared to be a suite; Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash was also in attendance, and a fan video showed members of No Doubt, who have had their own Sphere residency.

Instagram user @theordacityyy, who attended the concert, posted video of Dion’s air bass moment.

What has Celine Dion said about her love of rock music?

Celine Dion is known for powerful pop ballads, but she has also spoken about enjoying hard rock and heavy metal. In 2007, she told Australia’s The Sunday Telegraph, via Blabbermouth, that she often used AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” to warm up during sound checks.

Dion said rock music helped build her energy before performing in stadiums.

She described asking sound engineers to turn up rock ’n’ roll and heavy metal during stadium sound checks because the music helped get her adrenaline going. Dion also said she had been a fan of AC/DC for about 15 or 20 years, crediting sound crew members with introducing her to [their music].

Dion has also performed AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” as a duet with Anastacia at the 2002 Divas Live Las Vegas special. Her recorded setlist history includes covers of Journey’s “Open Arms,” Billy Joel’s “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel),” Wings’ “Live and Let Die” and Queen’s “The Show Must Go On.”

When are Metallica’s Sphere residency shows?

Metallica began its Sphere residency on Oct. 1, pairing the band’s music with large-scale visuals at the Las Vegas venue. The 2026 portion of the residency was scheduled to end on Nov. 7, with more shows booked for 2027.

Metallica’s Sphere residency combines live performances with visuals at the Las Vegas venue.

The band’s next run at the Sphere was scheduled to begin Jan. 28, with shows booked through March 13. After that run, Metallica was set to begin the first 2027 leg of its M72 tour, with North American dates featuring Limp Bizkit and Avatar starting May 8 in Vancouver.

Metallica’s website lists scheduled shows and ticketing information.

READ MORE: Metallica Release Pro-Shot Video of Performances From Las Vegas Sphere Residency

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What song did Celine Dion use to warm up before shows?

Celine Dion said she often used AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” as a sound-check warm-up. She described using rock and heavy metal to build energy before stadium performances.

AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” was one of Dion’s reported sound-check warm-up songs.

Which rock songs has Celine Dion covered?

Celine Dion has performed songs by Journey, Billy Joel, Wings and Queen. She also sang AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” with Anastacia.

Dion’s rock covers include songs by Journey, Billy Joel, Wings, Queen and AC/DC.

When did Metallica’s Sphere residency begin?

Metallica began its Las Vegas Sphere residency on Oct. 1. The 2026 dates were scheduled to conclude on Nov. 7, with further shows booked for 2027.

Metallica’s Sphere residency began on Oct. 1 and includes dates scheduled for 2027.