U2:UV Achtung Baby at the Sphere
Legs (1): 2023-2024
Shows: 40
Tickets:
  1. "to drunk gamblers who are almost out of money"

    Have you been following me
  2. Originally posted by MattG:Some of you need to lighten up on this whole 'vegas residencies are washed up' rhetoric... These aren't the Wayne Newton, flashy-lounge-singing ranks they used to be.

    A few of 2023's Vegas Residencies:

    Adele (one of the highest-grossing artists of the 21st century)
    Garth Brooks (a stadium act in the US; his last stadium show in my market was a complete sell-out)
    Carrie Underwood (just wrapped a full US arena tour; one of country's hottest stars)

    A few Vegas Residencies from the past 5 years:

    Lady Gaga (tours a mix of arenas and stadiums, virtually always a sell-out show)
    Katy Perry (arena sell-out act)
    Silk Sonic (massively popular project, shows exclusive to Vegas, extremely high-profile performers)
    Drake (tours a mix of arenas and stadiums, virtually always a sell-out show)


    It just doesn't make sense to use this as support for the argument that they're "washed up" or that this move is indicative of them heading in that direction whatsoever. The technology that's going into the actual physical construction of the building has literally never been seen before. The venue is in the shape of a sphere and U2 will, theoretically, play in the center of it. The venue is backed by Madison Square Garden, the most popular venue in the USA. Nobody will have ever seen what this venue can do before U2 will do it first.

    How does ANY of the above not SCREAM U2? It's literally a perfect scenario for them, and it seems like a big deal to me. I get if you're upset that this residency isn't in your part of the world. Vegas is extremely unique and there's a reason they pull these enormous residency acts. This event is more about the opening of a venue, not U2's end-all, be-all game plan for presenting live material to all of their fans. No, they probably won't tour this concept, because it will probably be heavily reliant on the technology of the building. I'm sorry they aren't building the Sphere in your backyard.

    U2 aren't going to play on a casino ballroom floor for 30 nights over 2 months crooning the same songs to drunk gamblers who are almost out of money. This is an enormous endeavor and its tiring to see so many people claim that THIS is the reason they're washed up. Do some research. Vegas residencies are incredibly lucrative deals that offer a very unique experience. Do a lot of older performers take them because they're easier on their bodies, mental health, families, crews, etc? Absolutely. Does that mean they are, in turn, only for people who have nothing left to offer?

    Come the fuck on. Be mad that they're going to waste a whole promotional cycle on bad re-recordings of older songs, not that they're playing in Vegas.



    Well said
  3. Vegas is the epitome of superficiality and American capitalism gone wrong. Always has been, always will be.

    Zoo TV and Popmart parodied excess and visual overload.

    Now I'm supposed to feel happy that U2 is embracing these things by playing a "state of the art" arena in a series of shows that can only be attended by people with means?

    We're a little far from "all I got is a red guitar, three chords, and the truth," no?
  4. Something Bono was quite keen to add in when the conversation of vegas came up in an interview was that the new songs had to be out first (‘But we have to have the new songs out first don’t we?’), it makes you wonder if vegas isn’t just going to be a way of promoting AB and SOS but also a way of getting the journey started for the new material. I don’t think a full album will be out before vegas, maybe just after, but I do think at least 1 new song will be out before it.
  5. Originally posted by MattG:Some of you need to lighten up on this whole 'vegas residencies are washed up' rhetoric... These aren't the Wayne Newton, flashy-lounge-singing ranks they used to be.

    A few of 2023's Vegas Residencies:

    Adele (one of the highest-grossing artists of the 21st century)
    Garth Brooks (a stadium act in the US; his last stadium show in my market was a complete sell-out)
    Carrie Underwood (just wrapped a full US arena tour; one of country's hottest stars)

    A few Vegas Residencies from the past 5 years:

    Lady Gaga (tours a mix of arenas and stadiums, virtually always a sell-out show)
    Katy Perry (arena sell-out act)
    Silk Sonic (massively popular project, shows exclusive to Vegas, extremely high-profile performers)
    Drake (tours a mix of arenas and stadiums, virtually always a sell-out show)


    It just doesn't make sense to use this as support for the argument that they're "washed up" or that this move is indicative of them heading in that direction whatsoever. The technology that's going into the actual physical construction of the building has literally never been seen before. The venue is in the shape of a sphere and U2 will, theoretically, play in the center of it. The venue is backed by Madison Square Garden, the most popular venue in the USA. Nobody will have ever seen what this venue can do before U2 will do it first.

    How does ANY of the above not SCREAM U2? It's literally a perfect scenario for them, and it seems like a big deal to me. I get if you're upset that this residency isn't in your part of the world. Vegas is extremely unique and there's a reason they pull these enormous residency acts. This event is more about the opening of a venue, not U2's end-all, be-all game plan for presenting live material to all of their fans. No, they probably won't tour this concept, because it will probably be heavily reliant on the technology of the building. I'm sorry they aren't building the Sphere in your backyard.

    U2 aren't going to play on a casino ballroom floor for 30 nights over 2 months crooning the same songs to drunk gamblers who are almost out of money. This is an enormous endeavor and its tiring to see so many people claim that THIS is the reason they're washed up. Do some research. Vegas residencies are incredibly lucrative deals that offer a very unique experience. Do a lot of older performers take them because they're easier on their bodies, mental health, families, crews, etc? Absolutely. Does that mean they are, in turn, only for people who have nothing left to offer?

    Come the fuck on. Be mad that they're going to waste a whole promotional cycle on bad re-recordings of older songs, not that they're playing in Vegas.


    Thanks Matt! I was thinking about making that point earlier in the week but didn't have the energy to craft a really telling response. The idea of Vegas has changed significantly in the past number of years but I wonder do we only realize that here in North America?
  6. Adele: Lame
    Garth Brooks Lame
    Carrie Underwood. Lame
    Lady Gaga Lame
    Katy Perry Lame
    Silk Sonic Lame
    Drake Lame
  7. Are all of them really lame or are they just not to your taste? I wouldn't class myself a "fan" of Adele, Lady Gaga or Katy Perry but I do have some of their songs in my library and I don't see how you could deny their status as huge and popular stars of the music industry. I probably wouldn't go out and buy tickets to their shows but if I won them in a radio contest I'd go along for the experience because of their profile.

    Great post BTW @MattG
  8. Originally posted by MattG:Some of you need to lighten up on this whole 'vegas residencies are washed up' rhetoric... These aren't the Wayne Newton, flashy-lounge-singing ranks they used to be.

    A few of 2023's Vegas Residencies:

    Adele (one of the highest-grossing artists of the 21st century)
    Garth Brooks (a stadium act in the US; his last stadium show in my market was a complete sell-out)
    Carrie Underwood (just wrapped a full US arena tour; one of country's hottest stars)

    A few Vegas Residencies from the past 5 years:

    Lady Gaga (tours a mix of arenas and stadiums, virtually always a sell-out show)
    Katy Perry (arena sell-out act)
    Silk Sonic (massively popular project, shows exclusive to Vegas, extremely high-profile performers)
    Drake (tours a mix of arenas and stadiums, virtually always a sell-out show)


    It just doesn't make sense to use this as support for the argument that they're "washed up" or that this move is indicative of them heading in that direction whatsoever. The technology that's going into the actual physical construction of the building has literally never been seen before. The venue is in the shape of a sphere and U2 will, theoretically, play in the center of it. The venue is backed by Madison Square Garden, the most popular venue in the USA. Nobody will have ever seen what this venue can do before U2 will do it first.

    How does ANY of the above not SCREAM U2? It's literally a perfect scenario for them, and it seems like a big deal to me. I get if you're upset that this residency isn't in your part of the world. Vegas is extremely unique and there's a reason they pull these enormous residency acts. This event is more about the opening of a venue, not U2's end-all, be-all game plan for presenting live material to all of their fans. No, they probably won't tour this concept, because it will probably be heavily reliant on the technology of the building. I'm sorry they aren't building the Sphere in your backyard.

    U2 aren't going to play on a casino ballroom floor for 30 nights over 2 months crooning the same songs to drunk gamblers who are almost out of money. This is an enormous endeavor and its tiring to see so many people claim that THIS is the reason they're washed up. Do some research. Vegas residencies are incredibly lucrative deals that offer a very unique experience. Do a lot of older performers take them because they're easier on their bodies, mental health, families, crews, etc? Absolutely. Does that mean they are, in turn, only for people who have nothing left to offer?

    Come the fuck on. Be mad that they're going to waste a whole promotional cycle on bad re-recordings of older songs, not that they're playing in Vegas.


    I haven’t been around these parts for a handful of years, but I see you’re still spot fucking on with your posts. This is great.

    I’d be clamoring to go see them there if I knew they were doing a full band balls-to-the-wall rocking setlist…

    …but yeah, I may sit this one out due to how bad these re-recordings are.

    Nevertheless, you make a great point.
  9. I think it’s important to note, that would also separates this from other Las Vegas residencies by acts is that the band is not playing a casino theater. Céline Dion and Britney Spears and gaga and Aerosmith were all playing large venues that were part of casinos. This is a new arena built for concerts, it’s not a stage set 40 feet away from the slot machines at treasure island... if the band were doing 6 shows at the Thomas and Mack arena 20 minutes away, no one would be batting an eye
  10. Originally posted by cmaly:Adele: Lame
    Garth Brooks Lame
    Carrie Underwood. Lame
    Lady Gaga Lame
    Katy Perry Lame
    Silk Sonic Lame
    Drake Lame
    Cmaly: Lame

    Is there anything you could be doing with your time besides being negative in every single thread?
  11. Originally posted by dstankie:Vegas is the epitome of superficiality and American capitalism gone wrong. Always has been, always will be.

    Zoo TV and Popmart parodied excess and visual overload.

    Now I'm supposed to feel happy that U2 is embracing these things by playing a "state of the art" arena in a series of shows that can only be attended by people with means?

    We're a little far from "all I got is a red guitar, three chords, and the truth," no?
    just let the thing play out. Dynamic Pricing might work in our favour, you never know
  12. Originally posted by justinpushplay:I think it’s important to note, that would also separates this from other Las Vegas residencies by acts is that the band is not playing a casino theater. Céline Dion and Britney Spears and gaga and Aerosmith were all playing large venues that were part of casinos. This is a new arena built for concerts, it’s not a stage set 40 feet away from the slot machines at treasure island... if the band were doing 6 shows at the Thomas and Mack arena 20 minutes away, no one would be batting an eye
    But this isn’t a stand alone arena. It’s The MSG Sphere at the Venetian. It’s tied to The Venetian casino as much as other shows you mentioned were. Yes it’s on a larger scale, but it is still tied to the casinos…it’s just a much larger version of a casino theatre (about 4x bigger than the more usual sized theatres.)