U2 at the Sphere: A Revolution in Live Music Performance

When U2 announced a residency in Las Vegas, fans expected spectacle. What they got was a musical and technological revolution. U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere, which ran from September 29, 2023, to March 2, 2024, was more than just a concert series—it was a full-blown reimagining of what live performance can be in the 21st century.

Achtung Baby, Reborn
The residency marked the debut of the $2.3 billion Sphere, a state-of-the-art venue located just off the Las Vegas Strip. U2 christened the venue with a 40-show run centered around their seminal 1991 album Achtung Baby. The band delivered the album in full, alongside other anthems like “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “With or Without You,” and “One.”

Originally scheduled for 25 shows, the residency was extended due to overwhelming demand, drawing more than 663,000 attendees and grossing approximately $244.5 million—making it one of the most lucrative residencies in music history.

A Concert in Another Dimension
The Sphere itself was a critical piece of the show’s success. Its 160,000-square-foot 16K wraparound LED screen transformed the concert experience into an immersive, visual narrative. Accompanied by beam-forming audio technology, every seat in the 17,500-capacity venue had clear, perfectly tuned sound.

U2 collaborated with an elite roster of visual artists—including Es Devlin, Marco Brambilla, and Industrial Light & Magic—to craft a show that blended cinematic scale with live performance intimacy. A turntable-inspired stage designed with influence from Brian Eno anchored the band amid surreal, evolving digital environments. For many, it felt like stepping into a future where music, architecture, and digital art were seamlessly fused.

Reactions from Fans and Critics
Critics hailed the residency as a landmark in live music. Descriptions like “mind-blowing,” “transcendent,” and “a quantum leap forward for live concerts” were common. Fans lauded the synchronization between U2’s sound and the Sphere’s visual effects, especially during standout moments like the Elvis-inspired kaleidoscope during “Even Better Than the Real Thing.”

Despite the acclaim, a minority of fans noted that some visuals felt repetitive or underutilized the Sphere’s full capabilities. Still, most agreed that even the “slower” parts of the show outshone anything seen in traditional venues.

Band Lineup and Performance Notes
Notably, longtime drummer Larry Mullen Jr. sat out the residency to recover from surgery. He was replaced by Bram van den Berg, whose precise, energetic playing received high marks from fans and critics alike.

The Legacy and What’s Next
Following the residency’s conclusion, the Sphere began screening V‑U2, an immersive concert film using custom ultra-high-resolution “Big Sky” cameras. Designed to recreate the residency experience for future audiences, it integrates audio, haptics, and visuals in a way that’s been described as nearly indistinguishable from a live performance.

As other artists eye the Sphere for similar experiences, U2’s run has set a high bar—both creatively and technically. More than just a concert, U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere may be remembered as the moment live music leapt into a new era.