U2 at The Sphere at the Venetian Resort: What's so special about the Las Vegas venue and the U2 setlist?

The Irish stadium-filling band have gone intimate (for them) to perform a series of very special gigs in the entertainment capital of the world.

General view of the opening night of Sphere ahead of Irish rock band U2's show at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 29, 2023. (Photo by Ronda Churchill / AFP) (Photo by RONDA CHURCHILL/AFP via Getty Images)

Irish rockers U2 are back in the news after launching a 25-show residency called 'U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere' in Las Vegas.

While the setlist - which celebrates their groundbreaking 1991 album Achtung Baby - has receieved a fair amount of attention, much of the talk is about the venue.

Formerly known as the MSG Sphere, the newly-named and newly-opened $2.3 billion Sphere at the Venetian Resort is currently a one-of-a-kind venue offering visitors to Sin City a new immersive entertainment experience featuring

Here's everything we know.

When did the venue open?

Plans to create the 18,600-seat venue were initially announced back in 2018, with construction starting a year latyer. Like many things, the opening was delayed due to the global pandemic buy it opened with the first in a series of concerts by U2 on September 29, 2023.

What's so special about the Sphere?

The technologically-advanced venue boasts a groundbreaking spherical (as the name suggests) design, which sets it apart from traditional concert venues. Its exterior is covered in LED panels, allowing for stunning visual displays and immersive experiences even before entering the venue. Inside the sphere, cutting-edge technology continues to create a truly immersive experience. A massive LED screen wraps around the interior, enveloping the audience in visuals - from live concert footage to virtual landscapes and jaw-dropping effects, all the way to augmented reality and virtual reality. The 16K resolution screen is backed by speakers with beamforming and wave field synthesis technologies, and 4D physical effects. The venue is designed with acoustics in mind, ensuring that sound quality is exceptional from every seat in the house. Advanced audio technology and engineering contribute to a pristine audio experience for concertgoers. 

What have the band said about the gigs?

In a statement earlier this year, the band said: “Bottom line, U2 hasn’t played live since December 2019 and we need to get back on stage and see the faces of our fans again. And what a unique stage they’re building for us out there in the desert. We’re the right band, Achtung Baby the right album, and the Sphere the right venue to take the live experience of music to the next level. That’s what U2’s been trying to do all along with our satellite stages and video installations, most memorably on the Zoo TV Tour, which ended in Tokyo 30 years ago this fall."

What setlist are U2 playing at their Las Vegas gigs?

Here's what Bono and the boys are playing:

1. Zoo Station
2. The Fly
3. Even Better Than the Real Thing
4. Mysterious Ways
5. One
6. Until the End of the World
7. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
8. Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World
9. All I Want Is You
10. Desire
11. Angel of Harlem
12. Love Rescue Me
13. So Cruel
14. Acrobat
15. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
16. Love Is Blindness
17. Elevation
18. Atomic City
19. Vertigo
20. Where the Streets Have No Name
21. With or Without You
22. Beautiful Day