The time has finally arrived and the much-talked-about Sphere in downtown Las Vegas finally opened its doors and in walked U2. Last night (September 29), the iconic and storied band hosted the opening night of the venue that seemingly lived up to the hype with stunning visuals and an unforgettable U2 performance. Sphere is the latest addition to Las Vegas, a massive LED dome that is able to display jaw-dropping visuals both inside and out, making a perfect playground for U2’s colorful discography. U2 is the first band to play the multi-billion dollar venue which was originally announced in 2018. After years of build-up, an obscene amount of U.S. currency, and multiple delays during the construction, the Sphere is finally open for business and U2 did it justice.
U2 pieced together a stunning setlist for the opening night of Sphere. They kicked things off with some songs from their iconic 1991 LP, Achtung Baby, which included the first live performance of “Mysterious Ways” since 2017. The night was filled with moments like this as the band pulled out “All I Want” for the first time since 2017, “Love Rescue Me” for the first time since 2011, and “So Cruel” for the first time since 1992. The band went on to play the entirety of Achtung Baby, the first time they had ever played the entire album at a show. The band also performed their latest single “Atomic City” which was released the day of the show. U2 wrapped things up with a six-song encore that included their latest single along with “With or Without You”, “Elevation”, and “Beautiful Day”.
With the first night of their 25-date residency in the books, U2 and Sphere live up to the immense hype. The band will continue to perform at the venue with dates going until December 16. Check out the full setlist and some of the stunning visuals from last night’s show below.
