For several years, a mysterious spherical structure has been under construction in Las Vegas. This summer, the public saw giant LED screens transform it into a planet, a basketball, and even a blinking eye.
Last weekend, the public finally got to discover what lies inside the sphere.
Sphere, the $2.3 billion venture touted as the entertainment venue of the future, made its public debut with two shows by U2.
Built by Madison Square Garden Entertainment, the Sphere is considered the largest spherical structure in the world. Standing 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide, the partially hollow arena could accommodate the entire Statue of Liberty, from base to torch.
Inside, there is a bowl-shaped theater that contains a stage on the lower level, flanked by what is supposedly the largest and tallest LED screen in the world. The screen wraps around the audience and, depending on the seat location, can fill their entire field of vision.
The inaugural offering of the venue is called “U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere,” a series of 25 shows built around the Irish band’s historic 1991 album, “Achtung Baby,” running until mid-December. Most shows are sold out, despite the steep prices of $400 to $500 for the best seats.
People who attended the debut shows commented that the screen is so impressive and so dominant that it sometimes overshadows the artists. “Sometimes I didn’t know where to look – at the band playing live or at the stunning visuals happening all around,” remarked a CNN journalist invited to the show.
Next week, the venue will host “Postcard From Earth,” a film by Darren Aronofsky that promises to make the most of the Sphere’s enormous screen, offering viewers an immersive tour of the planet. More shows are set to take place in 2024, although no artists have been announced yet.
Source: CNN