2023-10-18
MSG Sphere at The Venetian, Las Vegas, NV
Set List of Show:
Additional Music
Snippets of Other Songs Performed by U2:
Show Details:
Please note: This event has just been announced and some content may still be under revision.
The MSG Sphere at The Venetian is a sphere-shaped entertainment venue opening this September in Las Vegas, NV. U2 are the first act to perform in this new venue. More information about the concerts can be found at U2XSphere.com as well as the band’s own site at U2.com. Our information about the full tour, including news stories and show reports can be found at U2Songs.com/Shows.
These performances were teased on Friday, February 10, as a press release was sent out with an image of the Las Vegas skyline, with a baby’s head visible in the sphere, announcing more news was coming during the Super Bowl. The image was also shared via U2Community. On February 11 an additional video was shared by U2’s own social media accounts. The shows were announced via an advertisement during The Super Bowl.
The early rumours point towards U2 focusing on their Songs of Surrender album, as well as featuring Achtung Baby in these shows. We are told there will be an environmental angle as well to these performances.
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.
A smaller venue, MSG Sphere Studios, located in Burbank, California, opened in May 2022, allowing filmmakers and musicians to work in a scaled down version of the Vegas Sphere to perfect their video content. The interior of the studio is also spherical.
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