In September, Las Vegas unveiled its newest live concert venue, titled the Sphere. An arena that combines an immersive experience with a spherical stage setup, the venue has grown in popularity for its unique take on live music and performances.
Currently, U2 has been performing at the venue, promoting their newest concert tour, “U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere.” On the Sphere’s website, the performance has been described as “an out-of-this-world live music experience which will see the world’s biggest rock band launch the world’s most cutting edge venue, Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas.”
While many music fans may already know what this venue is, its relative newness is interesting to dive into, as it’s something the live music scene has never seen or done before throughout the last several decades. Here is an overview of what the Sphere entails:
The premise of the Sphere
The overall premise of the Sphere is to make live performances immersive through the use of a spherical, high-definition screen, 167,000 speakers, seats that imitate certain sounds and movements and even interactive robots. As the world’s largest holographic display, its screen lets viewers immerse themselves in a film, concert or speech without having to move out of their seats, making it a comfortable environment for all.
Current exhibits
Right now, the Sphere has two standard options besides the U2 concert series for viewers and tourists to choose from. The first is the Atrium, which is an interactive experience that uses holographic art installations, interactive robots and 22nd-century technology. For an hour, people can also do a 360-degree avatar capture, which places them in the experience alongside the robots.
The second option is an immersive film experience called “Postcard from Earth” by Darren Aronofsky. The Academy Award-nominated filmmaker said, “‘Postcard from Earth’ is a sci-fi journey deep into our future as our descendants reflect on our shared home.”
For 50 minutes, viewers are exposed to a multi-sensory film with the world’s largest high-definition screen, filmed in 18k resolution. With beam-forming sounds and “seats that make you feel everything,” the experience is more for those who are into film and a more laid-back immersive opportunity.
Pricing
The Sphere has different ticket options for audiences to purchase, including premium seats and group tickets. Premium suits are VIP spaces designed to host special occasions and business events, and can only be made via a request through their website. They also fit only 32 people. Meanwhile, group tickets include buying anywhere from one to over nine tickets. Tickets range from $69 to $249 with tax depending on what seat you want. Tickets can be bought through their website or on Ticketmaster.
Accessible seats are also available for purchase on Ticketmaster, as well as accessible parking, transportation and food options.
Effects
The Sphere uses many effects for their live experiences. According to their website, “‘Postcard from Earth’ is an immersive experience with various elements, including seat haptics, movement sensations, flashing lights, intense lighting, visual effects, loud noises and atmospheric simulations that may include fog, scent and wind.”
However, they do recommend that viewers who have a history of discomfort or physical symptoms when experiencing certain elements should consider attending the show ahead of time. They also say these effects can aggravate certain medical or physical conditions as well, which attendees should note.
