U2’s much-talked-about residency at Sphere in Las Vegas starts tomorrow night (September 29) and they gave CBS Mornings‘ Anthony Mason a sneak peek. The segment aired on today’s show. The footage of the inside of Sphere is pretty mind-blowing.
Sphere – previously referred to as the MSG Sphere – is the world’s largest spherical structure, according to CNN. It is 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide. They report that “Its bowl-shaped theater reportedly contains the world’s highest-resolution wraparound LED screen. And its exterior is fitted with 1.2 million hockey puck-sized LEDs that can be programmed to flash dynamic imagery on a massive scale.”
What this means is that Sphere can make itself look like anything from the outside. The building really stands out, even against the busy Las Vegas skyline. In the photo below, taken on July 4, it looks like a giant tennis ball is sitting in the middle of Vegas.
And the inside of the venue is just as mind-blowing. Different images cover the dome throughout Mason’s interview with Bono and The Edge. As Bono notes, “If you show what’s outside the building on this wraparound screen, the building disappears.” Elsewhere in the interview, Bono jokes that the band’s latest rehearsal didn’t go well. But as Bono and The Edge show Mason some of the wild visual effects, Bono notes “This is [like] legal drugs.”
What About Larry?
Bono and Edge also discussed drummer Larry Mullen, Jr., who will not be with them for the Vegas residency. They note that he did play on their new song “Atomic City” and he was with them in Vegas to shoot the video. The Edge said, “He played on the track, and just sounds amazing.” “Atomic City” premieres tonight at midnight.
Bono added, “He killed it, but it nearly killed him!” Laughing, he added, “But if you see him on a stretcher, you’ll know he died for rock and roll.” He continued, “He’s feeling good, and I think he can see a way back to fitness, but it’s gonna take time. Thank you for asking.”
Watch the segment below.
The residency was first officially announced earlier this year in a flashy ad that aired during Super Bowl LVII. Get ticket info at U2.com.
