The anticipation for U2's forthcoming residency continues to build. Read the latest on the 'U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere' event coming to Las Vegas below. I have seen U2 several times in Las Vegas, most recently five years ago today (read my review of that incredible concert HERE)...Robert Kinsler
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| U2 / Photo credit: Helena Christensen |
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“We’re so grateful once again to U2 for their generosity. And we’re very excited that each U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere performance will feature an iconic (RED) Zone, which lets fans choose (RED) and save lives while enjoying the show with an excellent view of the stage”, said Jennifer Lotito, President and COO of (RED). “Over the years, U2’s generosity has delivered nearly $23 million for (RED)’s fight to end AIDS. Thanks to U2 and U2 fans everywhere for helping (RED) make preventable and treatable disease preventable and treatable for everyone.”
VIP: VIP and Hotel packages for all announced shows will be available through Vibee at, U2.Vibee.com. Vibee, the new music-led destination experience company founded by Live Nation, is the exclusive Hotel Package and VIP Experience provider for U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere. Vibee has fans covered from the minute they arrive. The range of elevated hospitality packages may include premium concert seating; hotel rooms at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, the only resort attached to Sphere; priority entry into the U2:UV Fan Portal, an immersive, cutting-edge installation and pop-up shop at The Venetian; limited edition U2 memorabilia; nightclub access; bespoke concierge service and more.
For complete date, ticket and Vibee VIP & Hotel Package information visit https://u2.ticketmaster.com.
‘U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere' is the band’s latest ambitious creative project and will see them work once again with longtime U2 creative collaborator and show director Willie Williams. It follows the massive success of the band’s acclaimed Joshua Tree 30th anniversary stadium tour which was seen by over 3.2 million fans worldwide and their 2018 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE indoor tour which played to a combined audience of 1 million across Europe and North America.
Acknowledged as the best live act in the world, U2 have always – since their earliest days, including the industry-defining ZOO TV Tour which broke the mold in 1991 - consistently pushed the boundaries of live performance, with ground-breaking stage shows that embrace the latest in technology and innovation. The announcement that the band will be the first musical act at Sphere, the next-generation entertainment medium that dominates the Las Vegas skyline, is fitting for a show from the world’s most thrilling live band.
Bono, The Edge and Adam said, “U2 hasn’t played live since December 2019 and we need to get back on stage and see the faces of our fans again. And what a unique stage they’re building for us out there in the desert… We’re the right band, ACHTUNG BABY the right album, and Sphere the right venue to take the live experience of music to the next level… That’s what U2’s been trying to do all along with our satellite stages and video installations, most memorably on the ZOO TV Tour, which ended in Tokyo 30 years ago this Fall.
Sphere is more than just a venue, it’s a gallery and U2’s music is going to be all over the walls.”
The Edge added – "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. In short, it’s a canvas of an unparalleled scale and image resolution and a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We all thought about it and decided we’d be mad not to accept the invitation.”
Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium that will bring wonder to the world and redefine the future of live entertainment. Sphere’s 22nd century technologies include a 16K x 16K LED display inside the main venue bowl that wraps up, over, and around the audience, creating a fully immersive visual environment. Sphere Immersive Sound, the world’s most advanced concert audio system, delivers crystal-clear audio to every seat in the house. Multi-sensory 4D technologies will enhance the storytelling experience so guests can “feel” the experience – such as the rumble of thunder or the feeling of a cool breeze. ‘U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere' will tap into this cutting-edge technology, allowing fans to experience something completely new.
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About U2
U2 is acknowledged as one of the best live acts in the world. Formed in Dublin in 1978, the band were marked out by their drive and ambition from the beginning. U2 has toured the globe countless times, released 14 studio albums, sold over 170 million albums and won numerous awards, including 22 Grammys and Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience award. U2 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and have twice been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song: in 2003 for ‘The Hands That Built America’ for Gangs of New York, and in 2014 for ‘Ordinary Love’ for Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. U2’s fourteenth studio album Songs Of Experience – the companion release to 2014’s Songs Of Innocence - was released in December 2017 debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200, setting U2 apart as the only band in history to have topped the chart in four successive decades. In 2018, the U2 hit the road with the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour, an arena production which saw the band continue to push the creative boundaries of technology and engineering. And following 2017’s acclaimed stadium run with The Joshua Tree Tour - the record-breaking smash hit tour celebrating the band’s seminal 1987 album The Joshua Tree – The Joshua Tree Tour took U2 to New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, as well as bring “the biggest band in the world” (The Guardian) to Singapore, Seoul, Manila and Mumbai for the very first time. In November, 2019, the band released a track in collaboration with A.R. Rahman titled ‘Ahimsa’, which was performed live at Mumbai’s, D.Y. Patil Stadium. In 2020, SiriusXM and U2 announced the launch of U2 X-Radio, a complete immersion into the work and influences of the band from the Northside of Dublin, all curated by U2. And in May 2021, Bono and The Edge collaborated with Dutch DJ Martin Garrix to create the track ‘We Are The People’ the official anthem for the UEFA 2020 European Football Tournament. 2021 also saw the release of a new U2 song ‘Your Song Saved My Life’, which featured on the original motion picture soundtrack for the animated feature film ‘Sing 2’. Songs Of Surrender – a collection of 40 seminal U2 songs from across the band’s catalogue, re-recorded and reimagined for 2023 in sessions spanning the last two years – was released on Friday March 17th and debuted at #1 in the UK and Ireland. It also charted at #1 on 5 U.S. charts and in the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 200 chart.
About Sphere
Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium that will bring wonder to the world and redefine the future of live entertainment. A venue where the foremost artists, creators, and technologists will create extraordinary experiences that take storytelling to a new level and transport audiences to places both real and imagined. The venue will host original Sphere Experiences from leading Hollywood directors; concerts and residencies from the world’s biggest artists; and premier marquee events. The first Sphere venue is currently under construction in Las Vegas and is expected to open in fall 2023. It will be a new Las Vegas landmark, powered by cutting-edge technologies that ignite the senses and enable audiences to share experiences at a never-before-seen scale. More information is available at thespherevegas.com.
About Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.
The full length Super Bowl trailer announcement for U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere can be viewed HERE.
