Sphere Las Vegas has recently gained the attention of many after its opening on Friday, September 29th, due to its giant LED screen. One of the famous rock bands from Ireland, U2, successfully held a concert in the iconic Las Vegas dome. U2’s concert marked the beginning of Sphere’s opening to the public.
U2 is a legendary rock group that was formed in the autumn of 1976. The band consists of four members: Larry Mullen as the drummer, Paul Hewson or Bono as the vocalist, Adam Clayton as the bassist, and David Evans or The Edge as the guitarist. The band members came together during their high school days in Dublin.
U2’s concert at Sphere was their first performance of a total of 25 residency shows in this Sin City. In this amazing concert, U2 performed 8 songs from the “Achtung Baby” album, including songs like “Beautiful Day,” “The Fly,” and more. They also performed “Atomic City,” their latest single for the year.
Sphere is a massive new entertainment venue that has been a topic of discussion among people from various countries. The dome-shaped building is located at The Venetian Resort. Its grandeur and size make it an extraordinary and iconic structure in Las Vegas and the world.
During the daytime, Sphere appears as a unique black sphere. However, its appearance drastically changes at night. The dome building transforms into one of the world’s largest screens, displaying stunning visuals. Its sheer size allows it to be visible from several kilometers away.
Sphere Las Vegas is the brainchild of James Doan, a businessman who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Madison Square Garden Sports and Madison Square Garden Entertainment. He is also a leader in MSG Networks’ executive team. The total cost of constructing this super-mega dome amounts to USD 2.3 billion, equivalent to IDR 35 trillion.
Sphere serves not only as a venue for concerts but also for various other events, including film screenings and the hosting of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix scheduled for November 2023. With its multitude of functions and architectural structure, Sphere is a truly captivating building.
Exterior of Sphere
The exterior of Sphere Las Vegas features 1.2 million LED lights, resembling hockey pucks, installed throughout the building’s structure. With an area of 53,883 square meters, this exterior visual display is the largest of its kind in the world. Interestingly, the entire lighting system can be programmed according to the performer’s preferences, sponsors, or advertisers.
The Sphere building itself stands at a height of 111.5 meters with a diameter of 157.2 meters, making it the tallest in the world, surpassing Sweden’s Avicii Arena with a diameter of 110 meters. The immense size of Sphere and its advanced technology justify its significant construction cost.
Interior
Moving to its even more magnificent and awe-inspiring interior, Sphere Las Vegas features a concert theater with a seating capacity of 18,500 or standing room for up to 20,000 spectators. The dome boasts a 16K LED screen, the highest resolution in its category, with a height of 76.2 meters.
This screen nearly encircles the audience, forming a canvas spanning 14,864 square meters. Moreover, Sphere has over 160,000 speakers, ensuring high-quality audio throughout the venue. Additionally, the interior of Sphere becomes even more enchanting with 4D technology.
This technology can replicate wind, temperature, and even aroma effects that correspond to what’s happening on the stage or screen. What’s even cooler is that 10,000 seats in Sphere are haptic seats that vibrate according to the effects displayed on the screen, providing a unique experience for all attendees.
The LED screen at Sphere Las Vegas can be witnessed in a video clip of U2’s concert, showcasing the LED performance from the bottom to the top of the building. In the video, U2’s LED concert visuals display moving images resembling abstract codes that captivate all the attendees in the room due to their presence on the massive screen in front of them.
Then, when U2 performs the song “Beautiful Day,” the LED screen showcases visuals of various animals like snakes, birds, and butterflies flying. These visuals are truly mesmerizing, making the dome seem filled with these amazing creatures. Throughout the concert, the audience continues to be treated to impressive visuals.
With its advanced LED technology, Sphere Las Vegas appears as a futuristic and incredibly cool building. Attendees inside are sure to experience a unique and extraordinary sensation during their time there.
