A new immersive entertainment venue has finally opened up in Las Vegas, a giant orb with a wraparound LED screen. Dubbed ‘Sphere’ you’ll find the imposing arena at The Venetian hotel, seating thousands of spectators and stands 366ft high and 516ft wide.
It opened to the public last week with an inaugural performance by U2, centred around the band’s Achtung Baby album. U2 is set to play 25 concerts at Sphere, before wrapping up in December.
The project was announced back in 2018, by the Madison Square Garden Company, and designed by Populous. At the time, it was initially thought the project would cost a whopping $1.2billion (£982,467,847), but eventually surpassed $2billion (£1,637,424,982) due to global supply chain issues and inflation.
Its final cost is estimated to be at $2.3billion (£1,882,937,854), according to the Evening Standard. Sphere features an 8,600-seat auditorium, immersive video, and audio capabilities, a 16K resolution wraparound interior LED screen, speakers with beamforming, and wave-field synthesis technologies, as well as 4D physical effects capabilities.
Alongside U2’s residency, the attraction also features The Sphere Experience, where visitors will get a tour into the future of technology. The Experience continues with a specially commissioned film by The Whale and Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky.
Part sci-fi story, part nature documentary, Postcard From Earth takes advantage of all Sphere’s experiential technologies to make you feel like you’re anywhere but Las Vegas. Tickets for The Experience range from $49 (£40) to $129 (£105), whereas tickets for U2’s show start from $1,250 (£1,023).
Many people have taken to social media to share videos of the extravagant stadium, with some calling it the ‘best arena ever’. LasVegasLocally wrote: “There’s a good chance the Sphere is the greatest concert venue ever built.”
MichaelD8 added: “Definite bucket list for a concert!” Anuibi put: “It is really cool for sure.” EccoPhoebe, who appears to have visited the arena, said: “It was amazing! The graphics are off the charts!”
MSG is reportedly planning to host between four to six residencies each year at the mega-arena. While U2 are kicking off the show, there are rumours that Harry Styles could be performing there next spring, and American rock band Phish.
This content was originally published here.