U2 Will Perform 1st Shows At MSG Sphere In Las Vegas

U2 will be the first act to perform at the yet-to-open MSG Sphere in Las Vegas. The U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere series of concerts, news of which broke via a commercial that aired during last night’s Super Bowl, will take place this fall.

The dates of U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere will be announced later. The shows will be U2’s first run in four years. Ticketmaster Verified Fan registration for tickets is now open.

MSG Sphere CEO Lucas Watson previously revealed the venue would host four to six residencies per year. “Each artist will play roughly 10 to 12 shows, depending on their availability and scheduling,” Watson stated. “But that’s the rough order of magnitude.”

Under development for several years, the MSG Sphere is said to feature all-new state-of-the-art technology. According to promo materials:

“MSG Sphere at The Venetian will become the venue of choice for a wide variety of content, including Sphere experiences, concert residencies, product launches, and marquee events. In addition to the world’s highest resolution LED screen, MSG Entertainment has developed a multi-layered audio system – Sphere Immersive Sound – equipped with thousands of speakers that utilize beamforming technology to deliver targeted, crystal-clear and consistent audio to every seat in the house. The venue will also feature 4D multi-sensory technologies such as immersive seating, evocative scents and changing temperatures, to take experiential storytelling to an entirely new level. The impactful exosphere, exterior screen features a fully programmable display, the largest LED screen on Earth.”

U2 confirmed that drummer Larry Mullen Jr. will not participate in the MSG Sphere concerts while recovering from surgery. Drummer Bram van den Berg will fill in for the performances alongside frontman Bono, guitarist The Edge and bassist Adam Clayton.

Regarding the announcement, Bono, The Edge and Clayton stated:

“It’s going to take all we’ve got to approach the Sphere without our bandmate in the drum seat, but Larry has joined us in welcoming Bram van den Berg who is a force in his own right.

“The Sphere show has been in the works for a long time. We don’t want to let people down, least of all our audience… the truth is we miss them as much as they appear to miss us… our audience was always the fifth member of the band. Bottom line, 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 the 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.

“The Sphere is more than just a venue, it’s a gallery and U2’s music is going to be all over the walls.”

U2 reworked and re-recorded 40 of their previously released songs for inclusion in a new album entitled Songs Of Surrender. The Irish band slated the album to arrive on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17. The pending album was conceived alongside Bono’s recently published memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. Bono will bring his Stories Of Surrender Tour back to The Beacon Theatre for a residency at the famed New York City venue in April and May.

Watch the full-length U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere announcement video below: