It’s the most anticipated venue and technical launch for as long as anybody can remember and there’s no bigger act in the world to open the MSG Sphere than U2, who already have a long history with the city of Las Vegas.
The day before their much talked-about show, Bono and The Edge gave CBS News reporter Anthony Mason an exclusive interview and backstage access.
U2 kicked off their residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Friday night, becoming the first band to perform at the venue. The performance (called U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere) was dedicated to their 1991 album Achtung Baby, which they played in full – WRNR (We’re Rock ‘n’ Roll) Online:
From Paul McCartney and Bon Jovi both telling Bono it was the best sound they have ever heard!! to rave reviews about the wraparound visuals and immersive sound, including this from Carolyn Giardina in The Hollywood Reporter, to The Daily Mash’s story headline, this huge event has attracted an awful lot of attention.
Here’s The Irish Times take.
Channel 4 in the UK devoted a whole 10 minutes of its evening news programme to the story.
Here’s a sample of the videos that have been circulating online since the weekend.
*Spoiler Alert* for the video below follows
Scroll on if you plan to attend U2 at the Sphere and want to be surprised!
If you’ve ever been to a concert and thought you’d witnessed a spectacle of great production, forget everything you’ve ever known. This is unlike anything I’ve seen, and I’ve been on a lot of stages with a lot of different artists. Last night we were fortunate (thanks to a few of our friends) to be present for what felt like an historic occasion. We were amongst the very first people to experience opening night of U2 at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Every other stage, every other concert venue, every other lighting rig- is now dwarfed in comparison.
At first, the Sphere appeared “closed.” The stage seemed small and bare, and there were only 4 lighting fixtures around it. It quickly became evident that no one needs a large stage or fancy overheads in The Sphere. I pretty much stood up the entire show, looking up, mouth open in awe of what I was witnessing. The shape of the venue morphed and twisted. At times it felt as if you’d entered another dimension.
There were times when it seemed we were outside, in daylight or night. People were gasping in awe. It was a truly powerful experience. The video I put together below can’t do it justice. Bono sounded great. Edge sounded great. I’m so, so, so glad it was a rock band that got to unleash this new era of concert venues to the world. Many celebrities were in attendance. Most importantly (to me), Paul McCartney was there to experience opening night.
Sometimes, living in Las Vegas has its perks.
Not everybody was completely enthralled by the spectacle, including Las Vegas-based Gen Cleary of Sound Connective, on Linkedin. Here’s her mini review of the show and the experience of being inside The MSG Sphere.
What particularly caught my attention was Bono’s mention of how refreshing it was for the band to hear themselves accurately. It’s something we don’t often discuss – the challenges artists face in delivering their best due to sound issues that can not only affect their performance but also their hearing. That is definitely a huge win.
One unexpected surprise was being enveloped in a mysterious soundscape, akin to a meditation track, curated by U2 from the moment you entered the Sphere’s lobby. The sound experience really resonated with me.
Regarding the show itself, there were undeniably spectacular moments. Yet, challenges are apparent. Firstly, the quest for the perfect seat as many lacked a proper view of the spherical LED wall. In terms of sound, I was fortunate to be front and center, which provided an excellent audio experience. However, friends seated in the balconies didn’t share the same sentiment. While there was some haptic activation in the seats, it didn’t seem to make a significant difference, as most people around me didn’t appear to notice it. To form a complete opinion, I’d need to experience the show without being in the seats.
As for the sound itself, did it significantly differ for me, as a spectator, compared to other shows I’ve seen in more intimate venues with 360-degree architectural and spatial design? Honestly, the answer is no. However,it’s crucial to remember that this venue is designed for large audiences. From that perspective, it was indeed a superior experience to being in a vast football field.
In terms of the overall concept, I found it somewhat confusing whether I was there as a fan of U2 or as a spectator focusing on the screen. When the screen lights up, it’s akin to the moment when the lights come on in a nightclub. You see everyone, and everyone sees you, and you momentarily disconnect from the music and the artists as you’re encouraged to visually engage with the impressive spectacle. I would have appreciated more thought process as for how to create a sonic journey for a moment. Something different that would have brought the audience in a new dimension.
The Sphere definitely presents a fantastic chance to redefine the norms of live show production and perhaps to allow us to revisit some musical catalogues that deserve to become sonic sensorial experiences.
Witnessing this development should be incredibly inspiring for both audio and visual creatives, encouraging us to surpass existing boundaries. .
Gen Cleary, Sound Connective
The Mill’s Creative Director, Experience, Will MacNeil also had a few things to say.
The images coming out of (and out from) the Sphere in Las Vegas are staggering. But are they really what we want from a music experience? There’s no doubt this venue has the potential for shock and awe. It’s the biggest LED I’ve ever seen (and I worked on the massive floor at the Beijing Winter Olympics.) It covers a huge field of view, quite a bit wilder than anyone in the audience can take in without panning around, even from the very back row. But despite promising an immersive experience, the results so far look almost ostracizing.
Where’s the band? Take a look at any great stadium music show and you’ll quickly understand the brilliance of today’s lighting and set designers. In the midst of the largest stadiums somehow even the tiny Mick Jagger feels huge. Our eyes are constantly drawn back to the stage, and the stage somehow seems to fill not just a corner of the stadium, but our whole frame of view. Now take a look at U2 in the Sphere. Or more accurately, see if you can find them. Where’s Bono? They’ve practically disappeared.
If the Sphere has a conterpart in traditional venues, it’s most likely the classic amphitheatre. The word Amphitheatre literally implies a stage from multiple sides. The best amphitheatres perform a sort of double act: you get the magic of being out in the open (such as Red Rocks in Denver, Colorado, or the Minot in Cornwall, UK) while also a surprisingly intimate experience with the performers. Indeed the Sphere’s greatest moments look to be when the huge screen becomes a window out into a vast dessert.
I’m excited to see where designers take this. And curious to have a go myself. Opportunities to invent new design languages for new spaces don’t come around very often. And spaces like these have tremendous potential.
Will MacNeil, Creative Director, Experience, The Mill
And to round things off, some up-to-date technical details on the MSG Sphere, ℅ American Cinematographer’s Virtual Production Editor Noah Kadner, on Linkedin.
The venue’s exterior features a fully programmable 580,000 sq ft (54,000 m2) LED display, the largest LED screen on Earth. Inside, MSG Sphere houses the world’s highest resolution LED screen – a 160,000 sq ft (15,000 m2) display plane that wraps up, over, and behind the audience at 16K x 16K resolution.
LED tech includes SACO® custom S-POK and SACO bespoke LED tiles.
It is currently the world’s largest spherical building, 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide. The house has 17,600 seats and a standing capacity of 20,000 people.
Hidden behind the massive media plane are 168,000 speakers that produce realistic and immersive surround sound using a spatial audio system based on HOLOPLOT’s X1 speaker module. More info at: https://www.saco.com/msg/
Paul McCartney image ℅ U2 Mexican Soul
Main image: USA Today