Tonight, U2 (Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton, with Bram van den Berg sitting in on drums for Larry Mullen Jr.) lit up the Sphere stage with the opening night of their highly-anticipated U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere shows to launch the world’s most state-of-the-art venue.
The fully immersive experience saw U2 utilize every part of Sphere’s LED screen – the world’s largest and highest-resolution – into a one-of-a-kind gallery that showcased bespoke work from artists including Es Devlin, John Gerrard, Marco Brambilla, and Industrial Light & Magic; all while performing on a stage size version of Brian Eno’s ‘Turntable’.
The 25-date run of shows celebrates the band’s seminal album Achtung Baby, as well as its accompanying industry-defining ZOO TV Tour, which broke the mould in 1991.
The band also performed their new song “Atomic City,” which is an homage to the magnetic spirit of 70’s post-punk with a nod to Blondie, whose pioneering work with Giorgio Moroder inspired and influenced the band. Atomic City is itself a 1950s nickname for Las Vegas from a time when nuclear fascination swept the nation, and the city promoted itself as a centre of atomic tourism due to its proximity to the Nevada Test Site.
The band celebrated this major live music moment with fans from all over the world. Also present for the show were Adam Scott, Andre Agassi, Ava DuVernay, Bobby Shriver, Bryan Cranston, Chelsea Clinton, Chris Blackwell, Connie Britton, Dakota Fanning, Darren Aronofsky, Diplo, Dr. Dre, Elizabeth Banks, Flava Flav, Gayle King, Guy Oseary, Henrik Lundqvist, Jane Buffet, Jane Seymour, Jason Bateman, Jeff Bezos, Jimmy Iovine, Jimmy Kimmel, John Starks, Jon Hamm, Josh Duhamel, Katy Perry, Lars Ulrich, Lebron James, Luke Wilson, Oprah, Orlando Bloom, Oscar De La Hoya, Mario Lopez, Maria Sharapova, Martin Garrix, Matt Damon, Michael Rapino, Neil Patrick Harris, Paul McCartney, Paul McGuinness, Sheryl Sandberg, Skylar Astin, Snoop Dogg, Tom Schanley, Zane Lowe and more.
Setlist
Achtung Baby
Zoo Station
(a cappella intro)
The Fly
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Mysterious Ways
(first time since 2017)
One
(with “Purple Rain” and “Love Me Tender” snippets)
Until the End of the World
Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Tryin’ to Throw Your Arms Around the World
(first time since 1993;… more )
Acoustic
All I Want Is You
(dedicated to Larry Mullen, Jr.… more )
Desire
(dedicated to Paul McCartney;… more )
Angel of Harlem
(with “Into The Mystic” and “… more )
Love Rescue Me
(dedicated to Jimmy Buffett;… more )
Achtung Baby
So Cruel
(first time since 1992)
Acrobat
(with “Hall of Mirrors” and “… more )
Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
Love Is Blindness
(first time since 2006; with “… more )
Encore:
Elevation
(followed by “My Way” snippet)
Atomic City
Vertigo
Where the Streets Have No Name
(with “Moment of Surrender”… more )
With or Without You
(followed by “thanks” to… more )
Beautiful Day
(with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely… more )
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