This scene may seem customary, but the visuals were created by floor-to-ceiling graphics inside the immersive Sphere. It was one of the several impressive moments during U2\u2019s UV Achtung Baby<\/em> residency launch show at the high-tech, globe-shaped venue, which opened for the first time this weekend.<\/p>\n U2 perform during opening night at the Sphere, Las Vegas.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n The legendary rock band, which has won 22 Grammys, performed for two hours inside the massive, state-of-the-art spherical venue with crystal-clear audio. Throughout the night, there were a plethora of attractive visuals \u2013 including kaleidoscope images, a burning flag and Las Vegas\u2019 skyline, taking the more than 18,000 attendees on U2\u2019s epic musical journey.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a fancy pad,\u201d said Bono, who was accompanied onstage with guitarists The Edge and Adam Clayton along with drummer Bram van den Berg. He then stared at the high-resolution LED screen that projected a larger version of himself along with a few praying hands and bells.<\/p>\n Bono then paid homage to the late Elvis Presley, who was a Las Vegas entertainment staple. The band has rocked in the city as far back as 1987, when they filmed the music video for I Still Haven\u2019t Found What I\u2019m Looking For<\/em> on the Vegas Strip while on tour.<\/p>\n \u201cLook at all this stuff \u2026 Elvis has definitely not left this building,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt\u2019s an Elvis chapel. It\u2019s an Elvis cathedral. Tonight, the entry into this cathedral is a password: flirtation.\u201d<\/p>\n U2 made their presence felt at the $US2.3 billion ($3.58 billion) Sphere, which stands 111 meters high and 157 meters wide. With superb visual effects, the band\u2019s 25-show residency opened with a splash performing a slew of hits including Mysterious Ways<\/em>, Zoo Station<\/em>, All I Want is You<\/em>, Desire<\/em> and new single Atomic City<\/em>.<\/p>\n On many occasions, the U2 band members were so large on screen that it felt like Bono intimately sang to the audience on one side while The Edge strummed his guitar to others on a different side.<\/p>\n The crowd included many entertainers and athletes: Oprah, LeBron James, Matt Damon, Andre Agassi, Ava DuVernay, Josh Duhamel, Jason Bateman, Jon Hamm, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Oscar de la Hoya, Henrik Lundqvist, Flava Flav, Diplo, Dakota Fanning, Orlando Bloom and Mario Lopez.<\/p>\n After wrapping up The Beatles\u2019 Love Me Do<\/em>, Bono recognised Paul McCartney, who was in attendance: \u201cMacca is in the house tonight\u201d.<\/p>\n U2 perform during opening night at the Sphere, showcasing the incredible interior screen.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n He acknowledged Sphere owner James Dolan\u2019s efforts for spearheading a venue that\u2019s pushing forward the live concert audio landscape with 160,000 high-quality speakers and 260 million video pixels.<\/p>\n The Sphere is the brainchild of Dolan, the executive chair of Madison Square Garden and owner of the New York Knicks and Rangers. He sketched the first drawing of the venue on notebook paper.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m thinking that the Sphere may have come into existence because of Jim Dolan trying to solve the problem that The Beatles started when they played Shea Stadium,\u201d Bono said. \u201cNobody could hear you. You couldn\u2019t hear yourselves. Well, the Sphere\u2019s here. \u2026 Can you hear us?\u201d<\/p>\n The 366-foot-tall, 516-foot-wide venue is the largest spherical structure on Earth.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty <\/cite><\/p>\n The U2 frontman pointed into the crowd and shouted out Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Jimmy Iovine. At one point he became emotional when he dedicated a song to the late Jimmy Buffett\u2019s family, who were also in attendance.<\/p>\n Afterward Bono spoke about performing onstage for the first time without drummer Larry Mullen jnr, who is recovering from back surgery. He acknowledged Dutch drummer Bram van den Berg\u2019s birthday and him filling in for Mullen.<\/p>\n \u201cI would like to introduce you to the only man who could stand, well, sit in his shoes,\u201d said Bono, who walked toward Berg as some in the crowd began to sing Happy Birthday. He handed the microphone to Berg, who offered a few words.<\/p>\n \u201cLet there be no mistake, there is only one Larry Mullen jnr,\u201d Berg said.<\/p>\n As U2 wrapped up the show, a bright light shone from the ceiling and the massive screen began to fill with images of birds, insects and reptiles above a lake.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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