Christopher BarrettU2 is to launch the 20,000-capacity, futuristic venue, Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas with five dates marking the end of a four-year live show hiatus for the band.
Owned by Sphere Entertainment, formerly known as Madison Square Garden Entertainment, the Sphere venue will feature a wrap-around 16k screen that will run around and over the artists and audience. The immersive environment will be enhanced using 4D technologies, and the venue will also offer Sphere Immersive Sound; which Sphere Entertainment claims is “the world’s most advanced concert audio system”.
The U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere shows will take place on 29 and 30 September, 5, 7 and 8 October. The show design has been overseen by long-time U2 creative collaborator and show director Willie Williams. The dates follow the success of the band’s Joshua Tree 30th anniversary stadium tour which was seen by 3.2 million fans worldwide.
Tickets for the Live Nation Entertainment-promoted shows start at $140. The promoter’s recently launched music-led destination experience company Vibee is to offer hotel packages and VIP experiences.
U2’s The Edge said, “The beauty of Sphere is not only the ground-breaking technology that will make it so unique, with the world’s most advanced audio system, integrated into a structure which is designed with sound quality as a priority; it’s also the possibilities around immersive experience in real and imaginary landscapes.”
Sphere was initially scheduled to open in 2021 but construction was delayed due to complications resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.