U2′s Las Vegas residency begins tomorrow night with a heavy focus on 1991’s Achtung Baby.
The venue – the Sphere – cost over €2b and has 16K screens all over the venue.The 366ft tall by 516ft wide structure combines a state-of-the-art sound system with a 160,000 sq ft wrap-around LED screen.
The band’s push to break through the wall between artist and fan has been the bedrock of their live shows with Sphere designed to make that gap as small as possible.
Production revolves it seems a lot of, if not all of, 1991’s Achtung Baby, a stage based around a turntable, a new drummer, and an out-of-this-world screen and sound system.
Founding member Larry Mullen Jr is injured. He did appearer in a surprise performance in Las Vegas, but what he can do post-surgery remains to be seen.
Their last tour, in 2019, celebrated 1987’s The Joshua Tree. Bono’s solo outing to promote his book, while brilliant, was a reflection on his past.
Sphere could be a catalyst for a new era, new music, and a new direction but equally, a Las Vegas residency could represent the beginning of a decline into a very un-U2 like comfort.
