when u2 was released his Zoo TV tour in 1991 revolutionized live music. Over the course of 157 shows, the tour, which was in support of his album baby— was almost an embarrassment of overwhelming sights and sounds, with cutting-edge visuals (for the time), a lighting system that was partially enclosed in Soviet-era Trabant cars, and a leather-clad Bono sometimes impersonating a character named McPhisto. It was a big change for the group and it worked. The group reportedly grossed over $151 million in ticket sales, and the tour is still hailed as one of the most artistically successful of all time.
Since then, U2 have steadily pushed the boundaries of what their live shows could be, hurling huge mirror ball-shaped lemons and huge LED screens on their late-1990s PopMart tour and creating a massive “claw” Independent of a stage for his 360 -degree tour in the late ’00s. Now, after a four-year hiatus off the road, the group plans to push their performance art even further with a Las Vegas residency this fall.
On September 29, U2 will release a multi-date residency in it Spherean all-new, perfectly round venue at the Venetian Resort that promises something far grander in a Las Vegas extravaganza than Adele setting fire to the rain. Clad in 580,000 square feet of fully programmable 2K LED screens, the building is the largest spherical structure in the world and houses a multi-level atrium, production spaces and a 20,000-seat venue inside.
Setting up shop in the new space is a huge undertaking for the band and for the future of live music. If U2’s Sphere show is successful, it could help set a precedent for what’s possible. In an era where Beyoncé sells booster seats on stage and Rihanna create a super bowl spectacle Using a streamlined floating red stage, fans are clearly clamoring for more and more visual spectacle and access, as well as a deeper look inside the creative minds of the artists. With a Las Vegas residency like the one U2 is planning, acts don’t have to worry about moving stages from one arena to another or stressing over the middling audio capabilities of venues designed for sports. Instead, they can focus on what’s new, what’s cool, and what’s never been possible—until now.
“Where U2 really thrives is in this place of pure experimentation and discovery, and where we can do something we’ve never done before, and in this case, where we can do something no one else has done before,” U2 guitarist The Edge tells him. to WIRED. “I still think touring is fascinating in its own way and we’ll definitely continue to tour, probably on whatever our next album is, but I think what we’re seeing [with the Sphere show] it is the dawn of a new creative genre and a new creative platform.”
Inside the Sphere, a massive 16K by 16K screen wraps around the showroom, even reaching back and around the heads of concertgoers. The goal is for the venue to be a fully immersive experience, right down to the haptic customer seating, so guests can “feel” the show. The venue also has ambient effects capabilities, meaning production staff can launch gusts of wind aimed at visitors who might be viewing footage of a racing car, or even introduce a scent into the room in an effort to enhance the atmosphere. overall experience. (Think Disney flying around the world but on a much, much larger scale, with fewer feet dangling and potentially a lot more alcohol).
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