For what seems like an eternity, live performance entrepreneur James Dolan has released little bites of information about his latest project, a giant performance space shaped like a globe. Sitting pretty in Las Vegas, The Sphere is set to be an innovation in the live entertainment world and is supposedly set to open within 2023. With LED lights lining the entirety of the Sphere and a scientifically designed sound system meant to optimize the space for a full sensory experience.
Earlier this year, Dolan and his Sphere team announced the first band slated for a residency, and the massive structure, U2 is stepping up to the plate. According to an article published by the New York Post, Dolan and company paid a hushed sum of $10 million to U2 for a 25-day residency which is slated to kick off in the fall of 2023. That exuberant amount of money paid out to U2 is only a dot in the budget being laid out for the construction of the Sphere, a budget that seems to change every time we hear updates about the building of the venue.
The original budget for the construction of the Sphere was estimated at $1.2 billion dollars and has since sky-rocketed to $2.175 billion and is estimated to reach an astounding $2.3 billion when it is all said and done. Dolan credits the rise in budgeting to the complexity of the build, another significant aspect to note is that the Sphere needs a name-brand sponsor like most stadiums of its size, creating even more difficulties in their overhead for the project. According to the aforementioned New York Post report, Dolan has some personal funds tied up in the project as he is now seeing it as a passion project and, according to the “Artists” tab on the Sphere’s website, still hopes to see a 2023 opening for the venue.
While U2 is the only confirmed act to play the Sphere, reports say that the Sphere is also in talks with Phish and Coldplay to play the venue once things get going. This begged Glide to ask the question of which other artists can handle a venue of this size and importance. We selected 10 current artists/bands who we believe would be the perfect artists to hold a residency constructed Sphere, check out our picks below:
Metallica
At one point in time, Metallica held the record for the largest concert ever. In 1991, the band performed to an estimated 1.6 million people in Moscow at their “Monsters of Rock” festival. There is no need to detail Metallica’s colossal numbers and longevity in music but if 2023 has shown us anything, it’s that Metallica has still got it. Along with releasing their acclaimed new LP, 72 Seasons, the band is currently touring the globe in support of their eleventh studio album.
Pearl Jam
With a long history of performing in stadiums and headlining festival crowds across the globe, Pearl Jam also brings with them possibly the most essential element needed to pack the Sphere, an unwavering fan base. Pearl Jam has cultivated an almost jam-band-like following, meaning that their tour buses have a trail of loyal listeners following behind them from show to show. Their biggest show to date is rumored to have maxed out at 100,000 attendees at 2008’s Bonnaroo.
Jay-Z
Along with being one of the most successful artists of his time, Jay-Z has played to crowds of many sizes across the globe and achieved a level of longevity that every musician strives for. His biggest crowd to date was made up of over one million people in 2005 when Jay performed with Linkin Park to promote their iconic mash-up album.
Beyoncé
Her longevity speaks for itself, with numerous number-one hits and a fanbase that praises her every move, Beyoncé seems like an obvious choice to perform at the state-of-the-art Sphere. While the exact number of audience members at her largest show isn’t reported anywhere, the numbers surrounding her 2016 Formation world tour are nothing to sneeze at. The largest performance was recorded during the 2016 tour, with an impressive 89,270 seats sold over a two-day stay at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
Tool
Another band that has reached longevity beyond the word’s definition, Tool has built a loyal fanbase with a short yet potent discography. With that catalog dating back to 1993, Tool has been in the hearts of fans for years and continues to play in massive arenas around the world. Just last year Tool played two nights at the legendary O2 arena and headlined the annual Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee. This level of global recognition decades after their debut lands Tool right on the doorstep of the Sphere.
Foo Fighters
The Foo Fighters have been one of the most consistent and impressive rock bands of the past several decades. Debut in 1995, each new release from the band is met with the same level of excitement from their droves of fans. Foo Fighters have given us some of the most memorable live music moments across any genre with their 2008 Wembley performance still making headlines to this day and both last year’s Taylor Hawkins tribute shows taking over our news feeds with special guests and moving performances from the band itself.
Radiohead
While they are usually remembered for their fearless creativity, Radiohead is no stranger to commercial success either. The band has consistently headlined massive festivals from Bonnaroo to Glastonbury that amassed a minimum of 70,000 attendees per show. Their 1997 appearance at Glastonbury, a festival that averages about 200,00 attendees a year, has been named one of the best performances of all time by multiple media outlets despite the plethora of technical issues during the performance. Their ability to not only draw a massive crowd but have that crowd in the palm of their hands is evident from footage of that historic 1997 performance.
Harry Styles
The name Harry Styles has surpassed an association with music and has found a home in the lexicon of the average person around the world. Just last year, the pop sensation became the third musician to ever have a banner raised in Madison Square Garden after a historic 15-show run at the 20,000-capacity arena in New York City. That same tour had Styles performing in arenas around the world while making his status in music undeniable. The kicker that makes Styles the perfect fit for the Sphere, this massive world tour is only the artist’s second tour as a solo act.
Muse
Anyone that has followed music in the past two decades, you are well aware of Muse’s impact and their longevity in music. The band has made history with performances at 2012’s Olympic Games and consistently playing to tens of thousands of fans while touring. Their most successful tour took place over the course of 2012 and 2013, their 2nd Law World Tour was in support of the album by the same name and included the band performing in front of 60,000+ fans at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The band’s use of the big stage, lights and theatrics would be an ideal fit for the Sphere.
Queen with Adam Lambert
Last but certainly not least we have the latest formation of Queen who is coming off of an impressive touring schedule for 2022. Along with consistently packing stadiums, Queen with Adam Lambert has been on their Rhapsody tour since 2019 with the finale of the tour filling up Finland’s 15,000-capacity Nokia Arena. The history of Queen plays an obvious role, although it seems like fans are coming around to the idea of their new frontman who seemingly slid into the role with ease.
