LAS VEGAS (CelebrityAccess) –On September 29th, the legendary Irish rock band U2 was on hand for the first concert as part of their residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas as the cutting-edge new concert venue opened its doors.
The 20,000-capacity Sphere, which cost $2.3 billion to build, and which stands at 366 feet high and 516 feet (157 meters) wide, is an impressive addition to the Las Vegas skyline.
The state-of-the-art arena leverages cutting-edge technology, most notably, the massive LED screen that covers the interior and exterior surfaces of the venue, allowing for immersive video displays both inside and outside of the sphere.
The screens are fully programmable, with the capability to display more than 256 million colors which were used to full effect by U2 for the Sphere’s opening show, showcasing art from renowned artists including Es Devlin, John Gerrard, Marco Brambilla, and Industrial Light & Magic.
The Sphere also features a fully immersive audio system powered by Holoplot which leverages the world’s largest beamforming array to provide what Sphere Entertainment bills as “crystal clear” sound in every seat in the house.
One feature that drew criticism from some observers was the arena’s stage, which the New York Times described as “vulnerable” and akin to a stage that one might find in any regional theater. While small for an arena of its size, the stage does feature a fully rotatable turntable that Sphere Entertainment says was inspired by the noted producer and musician Brian Eno.
For their residency at The Sphere, U2 drew heavily from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, as well as their accompanying ZOO TV Tour, covering hits such as “Beautiful Day,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” and “Mysterious Ways,” as well as new material, debuting the song “Atomic City” for the first time.
During their show, U2’s Bono lauded the new venue, describing The Sphere as a “fancy pad,” and then, paying tribute to Madison Square Garden Chairman & CEO James Dolan, who first conceived of the concept for The Sphere.
“I’ll tell you who’s one hard worker — Jim Dolan,” Bono told the audience, according to the New York Times. “You’re one mad bastard.”
During the show, Bono also paid tribute to other industry figures in attendance, including shoutouts for Paul McCartney and Snoop Dogg, Guy Oseary, and Michael Rapino as well as Irving and Jeffrey Azoff.
U2’s inaugural show was the first of a 25-date run of shows at The Sphere that extends through December 16th.
Check out this fan-made video of U2’s show at The Sphere.
