2023-09-30
Sphere, Las Vegas, NV
Set List of Show:
Main Set:
- "Zoo Station"
- "The Fly"
- "Even Better Than the Real Thing"
- "Mysterious Ways"
- "One"
- "Until the End of the World"
- "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"
- "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World"
- "All I Want is You"
- "Desire"
- "Love Rescue Me"
- "So Cruel"
- "Acrobat"
- "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)"
- "Love is Blindness"
- "Elevation"
- "Atomic City"
- "Vertigo"
- "Where the Streets Have No Name"
- "With or Without You"
- "Beautiful Day"
Additional Music
Pre-Recorded Intro Song: "Lemon" (Remix) - U2
Pre-Recorded Exit Song: "Glorify" - U2 featuring Brittany Howard
Pre-Recorded Exit Song: "What A Wonderful World" - Louis Armstrong
Snippets of Other Songs Performed by U2:
-
"I Feel Love" (Donna Summer) /
"Love Me Tender" (Elvis Presley) /
"Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" (Edith Piaf) /
"Walk On the Wild Side" (Lou Reed) /
"Viva Las Vegas" (Elvis Presley) /
"My Way" (Frank Sinatra) /
"Moment of Surrender" (U2) /
"Nothing Compares 2U" (Prince) /
"What A Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong) /
Show Details:
U2 return for the second night of their 25 show run at Sphere, a venue that U2 opened the previous night in Las Vegas. U2 are the first band to perform in this new venue. The full listing of shows can be found in our show archive. U2 are performing these shows without founding member Larry Mullen Junior, due to back surgery, and the following recovery. A Dutch drummer, Bram van den Berg replaces Mullen at these shows in Las Vegas. In the program for the shows, Larry Mullen writes, “I can’t tell you how very grateful I am to Bram for deputising. Just remember not to get too comfy up there! Rest assured, I’m busy dealing with all things physical and making progress towards hopefully getting back and seeing everyone soon.”
Good reviews for the first night and the venue have been rolling in all day. First night got things off to a good start. During the show, Bono mentioned that the four song Rattle and Hum segment would rotate out for other albums in the shows to come, so we expect that any changes will likely happen at that spot in the show. Long time friend, Neil McCormick is in the audience for a second night, as is producer Steve Lillywhite.
DJ Pauli The PSM Atomic DJ takes the stage at approximately 7:45, and tonight plays a longer set. His set, like last night, goes until U2 take the stage. His set ends, a new mix of “Lemon” featuring a vocal by Gavin Friday is played as U2 take the stage.U2 takes the stage later tonight, at approximately 9:10pm. Like last night, the show starts with “Zoo Station” and Bono apologizes for being late after he finishes the song. The band then launch into an energetic version of “The Fly” and then into “Even Better Than the Real Thing”, “Mysterious Ways” and “One”. (“Mysterious Ways” includes a bit of “I Feel Love”). The “Love Me Tender” transition between “One” and “Until The End of the World” is present for a second show in a row. In “Until the End of the World” Bono adds a bit of Edith Piaf’s “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien”. “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” and “Tryin’ to Throw Your Arms Around the World” finish out the first set of Achtung Baby songs.
Although Bono suggested last night they would be mixing up this middle section each night, tonight “All I Want is You” is heard again. Tonight though there’s a nice snippet of “Walk on the Wild Side” added in. Bono shares they stayed on Rattle and Hum because they loved it so much the night before. Introducing Bram, Bono shares he found Bram too tall and too good looking. “Desire”, “Angel of Harlem” and “Love Rescue Me” follow to complete the Rattle and Hum segment.
Bono shares they are flipping Achtung Baby over to play side two. The remainder of the main set will be used to finish playing the remaining songs from the album. “So Cruel”, “Acrobat”, “Ultra Violet (Light My Way)” and “Love is Blindness” finishes out the opening set with a little reference to Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas.”
The break between main set and encore is a little longer tonight, and once again leads off with “Elevation” which ends with a long segment of “My Way”. Up next is U2’s new ode to Las Vegas, “Atomic City”, performed for only the second time in concert (the video shoot was a mix of live performance and pre-recorded music.) The video accompanying “Atomic City” is one of the videos that shows off the realism of the screens. You are taken to the streets of Las Vegas, and would actually believe they are performing in a street. “Vertigo” is up next with a bit of an awkward transition into “Where the Streets Have No Name”. During “Vertigo”, long-time stage-crasher Amp is brought on stage. A snippet of “Moment of Surrender” is heard over the opening of “Where the Streets Have No Name”. “With or Without You” is up next and contains a snippet of “Nothing Compares 2U”.
U2’s involvement in The Sphere was leaked in August 2022. In November 2022, Bono discussed the appearances with RTE’s Brendan O’Connor, saying “I can promise you it won’t be like anything you’ve ever seen in Las Vegas or anywhere ever. It is the most extraordinary…If it comes off, it’s grand madness by 100. It would centre around Achtung Baby, which we feel we need to really honor. But it will also, but we have to have the new songs out don’t we? There’s no place yet, big enough. If we can build one for our audience. But it will be, for us to go, it have to be like no one has ever gone before. That sounds a bit Star Trek. Part Star Trek, part traveling salesman. I’ve got some books…” In January he told the SmartLess podcast, “I’m interested in Las Vegas for all kinds of reasons, even going back to ‘The Fly’!”
The venue itself has seating for 17,500 people, and can accommodate 20,000 people with a general admission area in use. The sphere has nine levels in total, and the inner performance area is a sphere shape, with programmable LED screens covering the sides and top of the performance area. The venue is a dome inside and outside. Not only will people be surrounded by images, there are also features such as scent and wind, a haptic system which will allow users to feel the sound, and targeted sound in the venue. The outside of the sphere is also covered in LED screens and can be used by the performers inside. U2 are the first act to perform in this new venue. The venue is also being used to show a film, Postcard from Earth which opens a few days after U2’s debut at the Sphere.
The September 30 show was among the first five shows announced. The shows were officially teased in a press release on February 10, and later announced via an ad during the Super Bowl. The first five dates were announced on April 24, with a opportunity to apply for presale tickets opening immediately with the announcement. Ticket face value ranged from $140.13 – $501.35 at four different price points for seats. A General Admission floor was priced at $267.88, and at each show there was be a (RED) Zone riser at the back of the GA area which will hold 50 people, priced at $600.00. When the ticket sale for verified fans opened on Thursday April 27, Platinum pricing was in effect for the seats in the venue, with most tickets being priced well beyond these original prices. The general onsale, on Friday April 28 was announced to be cancelled by Ticketmaster due to demand, but later the verified fan restrictions were lifted at that time anyway.
Related News
- 2023-12-29 A Look Back at Sphere 2023 (Original Story)
- 2023-12-13 Merchandise at the Sphere and Zoo Station 2023 (Original Story)
- 2023-10-29 Show Music, Pre-Show, DJ Pauli the PSM, and More (Original Story)
Officially Released Tracks