Everything You Need to Know: The MSG Sphere in Las Vegas
This state-of-the-art performance venue wowed audiences at its September 2023 debut, as rock royalty U2 played alongside a spectacular display of panoramic digital graphics.
Conjuring trippy landscapes, alien vistas and hypnotic, fractal wonderlands that completely surround the audience, the immersive visuals of this tech-packed arena are on a scale never before seen. Here’s how the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas has been taking live music into a whole new dimension.
What is it?
Put simply, the MSG Sphere is a concert venue but its game-changing use of video and audio tech make this description quite the understatement. Commissioned by Madison Square Garden and located at the Venetian Resort, just north of the Las Vegas Strip, construction of the $3.58-billion, 18,600-seat auditorium began in 2018 and after opening on 29 September 2023, it became the largest spherical structure ever built. Its most conspicuous features are the giant LED screens that are fully integrated into both its exterior and interior. Inside, the concert space is equipped with a 16K resolution wraparound LED screen that spans 15,000 m2, making it the largest high-resolution screen in the world. The outer shell is illuminated by 54,000 m2 of LED displays, which can be seen from multiple vantage points across Las Vegas. Aside from its impressive video capabilities, the Sphere’s audio creds are just as cutting edge. The venue features a spatial audio system, which uses beamforming and wave field synthesis technologies to mitigate the acoustic quirks of a spherical space. In addition to concerts, the Sphere has also been designed to host awards shows, immersive films and DJ sets, ring sports like boxing and more.
Why you should care
The resounding success of its inaugural concert by U2 was just the start. Today, Sphere is as much an icon of the Las Vegas experience as the Bellagio fountains or the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. Currently, The Eagles' are mid-residency at the Sphere, playing until February 2025, as is Anyma with The End of Genesys, the first electronic show at Sphere. Additionally, Sphere currently has regular screenings of V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film, a cinematic feature showcasing U2's history-making residency from Sphere's launch. In a Sphere first, it is also set to debut its premiere electronic show, Anyma: The End of Genesys presented by Afterlife in December 2024, which is described as a "sensory-expanding mix of innovative visuals and sounds that will combine Sphere's next-generation technologies with Anyma and Afterlife's signature production".
When can I go?
To view dates and book tickets for current and upcoming shows, visit the MSG Sphere website.
