U2’s rocking concert show at Sphere plays tricks with your mind

Early in U2’s concert show at Sphere, Bono calls out, “It’s Saturday night!”

Even on a Thursday night, he’s right.

Even as a projected image, the legendary rocker controls the time-space continuum in “V U2 An Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas.” The adventurous concert film runs multiple days and nights each week.

But in this experience, it’s always Saturday night. The Sphere is packed, and the rock show in the bulbous wonder lives forever.

“V-U2” is adventurously designed by The Edge and his wife, Morleigh Steinberg. The show is trippy in the most complimentary context, a trip through time set to U2 classics.

Was at 1 Main Street for the video of this song “V-@U2 An Immersive Concert Film @Sphere Las Vegas” … @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/HaOPWRauwO

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) September 6, 2024

”V U2” is a trek to the future, the first concert film shot in Sphere’s Big Sky high-res camera system, its Holopolot Immersive Sound System, and the the haptic seats that shake your tush during “Mysterious Ways.”

It’s a visit to the recent past, to the “U2: UV” series that played to 700,000 fans over 40 sold-out shows from September 2023 through this past March. But the show manages to keep you the here-and-now, so intimately close to the rock legends you forget you’re not watching them live.

Bono’s face is so imposingly displayed during “One,” you swear you can feel his breath.

That is the first sense in this show, the figures seem physically larger than during the live performance. In “U2: UV” (and in subsequent shows by Phish and Dead & Company), the musicians are often overtaken by the pure enormity of the production. But by controlling the dimensions, “V-U2” has made U2 seem even larger than life.

The show’s seating is similar to the scaled-back seating for “Postcard From Earth,” which caps at about 5,000 fans. That design leaves Sphere’s standing, general-admission floor section unoccupied. But in the new film, that same section is projected as full of fans. You are watching not just the performance on the Brian Eno-designed turntable platform. You’re observing GA fans going nuts just in front of the stage — but from several months ago.

You hear the roar from the original show, too. The cascading cheers are a mix from “U2: UV” and the new theatrical show. You recognize this quality as “Vertigo” and “With Or Without You” are playing to a loud response, but those around you are just smiling and gazing around the bubble.

When Bono waves his arms, the crowd from the original show follows suit. But not everyone watching the filmed version participates in the arm-waving; instead, it’s fine to watch that action as part of the experience.

It’s a quality shared at any show reproducing a live performance, especially with superstars. Do we shout at a video-image of Bono in the same way we would the actual superstar? Maybe not. But “V-U2” is still a fulfilling rock show even if you don’t stand, wave, singalong, scream or even crowd-surf.

The show’s strength, of course, are the iconic songs, punctuated by tech you won’t see anywhere else.

Trippy. “V-@U2 An Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas” … Even better than the real thing? Close …@reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/KBpi7hQ9I6

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) September 6, 2024

Returning to at Sphere is the smoking-white, surrender-to-nature flag for “Where The Streets Have No Name,” as the desert landscape is gradually fills with water, leaving a brilliant blue orb floating on the water, opening to a montage of endangered species for “With Or Without You.” There is so much going on in that scene it could be the basis for a spin-off production.

The down-flowing montage of Las Vegas images during “Even Better Than the Real Thing” is as powerful in “V-U2” as it was during the live show. I still felt I might pitch forward, even while seated in my vibrating chair.

Bono runs through somber, powerful stretch of “My Way,” entering the Vegas tribute, “Atomic City.” Vintage images of Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s wedding, and scan of today’s Strip skyline (are among the many legendary Las Vegas moments revived and unspooled in the new production.

You are reminded that U2’s live show, and now the theater experience, are uniquely Las Vegas. U2 has paid tribute to our history, while confidently rolling the Sphere into the future.

Drones as headliners

Sphere’s creative team marked the opening of the concert film with a drone show that accompanied new images on the Exosphere.

Hundreds of drones showed the V-U2 logo with the Las Vegas skyline in the background. The scene was accompanied by U2’s “Zoo Station,” part of Sphere’s new “XO Audio” feature outside the venue.

The list of experiences

Having seen all shows and events at Sphere, advice on how to step into the educational process: See “Postcard from Earth” first. The movie invokes all of the venue’s custom technology. Then the U2 concert film. Then any live show (Eagles next), then EDM star Anyma’s Afterlife “The End of Genesys” show over New Year’s weekend. There is a great chasm between “Postcard” and Afterlife. Ah, and also UFC 306, which is likely a one-time-only event, but should shake up the place, from every seat.

Cool Hang Alert

Nowhere at Fontainebleau is a sweet, swanky hang. Jennifer Keith is back Saturday, with Midnight Bleau on Sunday-Monday and Mikalah Gordon from Tuesday through Thursday. Hours are 8 p.m.- 12 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. No cover, but reservations encouraged; go to fontainebleaulasvegas.com … And know that you can “join in an impromptu game of billiards,” say those who run the joint.

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 X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.