U2 unveils new dates for Las Vegas concert series
The demand is “overwhelming,” and yet entirely expected.
Seven additional dates have been added for “U2 UV: Achtung Baby Live at Sphere.” The new dates are Oct. 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21 and 25. This is in addition to the first five dates, beginning Sept. 29-30, which were made official Monday morning. That set continues on Oct. 5 and Oct. 7-8.
We say expected, as U2 is a significant international draw that hasn’t played live since December 2019, this is the first performance series of any kind at The MSG Sphere, and officials had always planned for a dozen shows to open the venue.
A news release updating the now 12-show series reminds: “Tickets for this run of shows will be in high demand, therefore Verified Fan will be used to ensure more tickets get into the hands of fans who want to go to the show, not buyers looking to resell them.”
Fans can register now for the Verified Fan presale at u2.ticketmaster.com. Fans who previously signed up for Verified Fan for U2 are automatically registered for the opportunity to participate in the presale.
Registration for Verified Fan will close 7 a.m. PT Wednesday. Fans selected to receive an access code will be able to participate in the Verified Fan presale starting Thursday. Tickets start at $140 and will reflect all-in pricing (no fees included), and run up to $600 for VIP packages. The Sphere officials say 60 percent of tickets will be priced under $300.
The Vegas U2 lineup is Bono, The Edge and bassist Adam Clayton. The band will take the stage absent founding drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who has announced he will sit this one out to undergo surgery required from injuries he’s accumulated over the decades. Bram van den Berg, of the Dutch alt-rock pop band Krezip, will play drums in the Vegas shows.
The band is ready to put The Sphere to the test.
“Most music, over playing a theater, most music venues are sports venues. They’re stadiums, they’re arenas. They’re built for sports. They’re not built for music, they’re not built for art,” Bono told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe last month on a tour of The Sphere and the Neon Boneyard. “So this building was built for immersive experiences in cinema and performance. It was not built for, you can’t come here and see an ice hockey game.”
The Edge said, “So, the sound has been designed as a priority from the beginning. Best sound, I’m sure we’ll ever hear. Really excited about it.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
Ticket protocol for "U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere":
DATES: Sept. 29-30; Oct. 5, 7-8.
PRESALE: U2.com subscribers will have first access to tickets through Ticketmaster Request, open now until 7 a.m. Pacific time Wednesday. During this period, U2.com subscribers can sign into their Ticketmaster account, pick up to 3 shows and rank in order of preference, request up to 4 tickets and select the type of tickets preferred. To complete their request, fans will enter payment details and will only be charged if the request can be fulfilled. Requests will only be fulfilled for up to one show and up to 4 tickets. Fans will be notified via email of their request status, and if fulfilled will be provided a link to claim their tickets.
GENERAL ONSALE: If any tickets remain, they will be sold during a general onsale starting Friday, April 28 at 10am at Ticketmaster.com. On sale times will vary, check the Ticketmaster listing for more information.
DETAILS ON GENERAL ADMISSION FLOOR TICKETS: In an effort to help minimize resale and keep ticket prices at face value for fans, GA floor tickets for U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere will be restricted from transfer. They may only be resold at the original purchase price.
Fans will still have protection against unforeseen circumstances. Those who purchase tickets and are no longer able to attend their show will be able to sell their tickets at the price they paid using the Ticketmaster Face Value Exchange. More information on how the Ticketmaster Exchange works is available at blog.ticketmaster.com/how-ticketmaster-face-value-ticket-exchange-works.
RED ZONE: At each U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere performance, 50 tickets to experience the show from an exclusive VIP riser will be made available for purchase benefitting (RED), the organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006 to fight AIDS and the injustices that enable pandemics to thrive.
