The Sphere

We All Believe

Who do we think would be a good act for The Sphere? I'm thinking its scope is limited in terms of who could make it work, but having just been there for the first time, I'm a fan, 100%. With the right act, it's can't-miss, IMO.

I did both PJ shows at the MGM, and Dead & Co. in the middle on the 17th.

I'm not a Dead fan, far from it. But the 17th was my birthday, so I felt like I didn't have a choice lol, had to go.

Before I even got in line to get in, I was offered, in this order: molly, mushrooms, doses. I did not indulge lol.

The Sphere gets a rating of 1,000,000 out of 10. It was the most spectacular visual experience I've ever had.

**MILD SPOILERS**

The narrative: You are transported from Haight-Ashbury to outer space and other places from the Dead's history.

When we started lifting off the ground, I legit held on to my seat, because I felt like I was gonna fall out of the sky. And the seats vibrated at a few points.

The music sounded good. The actual sound was a bit underwhelming when compared to the visuals. The Deadheads I hung out with respect John Mayer and what he brings to the table.

I'd see the show again in a second. With the right act, it is can't-miss.

That being said, I do not want to see Pearl Jam there. I want to focus on the music when I see PJ live. The venue, and the concept, would be too much of a distraction. I'm sure the band and its team could come up with some great visuals, but I'm hoping they avoid it. If they don't, I'll be there lol.

Lastly, at the end of the show, a couple got into an argument, as the husband accused the wife of trying to feed him green mushrooms. My new friend Andrea, who I sat next to at the show and spent 5 hours oversharing the details of my life, was horrified at the accusation, because apparently you NEVER eat the green mushrooms. I've never had mushrooms in my life, and even I knew that you DON'T eat the green mushrooms.

opsopcopolis

I've seen all 3 bands that have played the Sphere so far, and enjoyed all of them. U2 and Phish approached it from opposite directions, but I thought both were equally successful and enjoyable. D&C sort of straddled the line between the two content wise, and I found it to be a little behind the other two in terms of the overall direction/quality of the content. Each band's sphere show/content makes perfect sense if you really know the goal/ethos of how that band approaches live shows imo.

In terms of who could play there, I think we'll be more limited by bands that don't want to do a residency than anything else. There are tons of musical acts touring with massive screen/production setups that i'm sure could build a great Sphere show. Pretty much any modern pop star could put together a great sphere show imo. In the rock world, the bands that come to mind immediately are Tool, Muse, Metallica, Radiohead. 

josevolution

Heck in my younger days I would of flown out to Vegas dosed my self with some shrooms or LSD and just sit across the street gazing at the visuals for hours 😂😂😂 without music 

Johnny Abruzzo

Whoa - did somebody mention Radiohead at The Sphere?!? That would be a can't miss.

Zod

I loved the U2 show I saw at the Sphere.   It's also not lost on me, there's not a great number of touring acts left capable of selling arenas/stadiums that I make the effort to see.  U2, Pearl Jam, Springsteen, Metallica, Foo Fighters.... maybe Tool, but I've skipped the last number of Tool tours.

I've got it..

Nine Inch Nails.  That could be pretty cool.

Lerxst1992

opsopcopolis said:

I've seen all 3 bands that have played the Sphere so far, and enjoyed all of them. U2 and Phish approached it from opposite directions, but I thought both were equally successful and enjoyable. D&C sort of straddled the line between the two content wise, and I found it to be a little behind the other two in terms of the overall direction/quality of the content. Each band's sphere show/content makes perfect sense if you really know the goal/ethos of how that band approaches live shows imo.

In terms of who could play there, I think we'll be more limited by bands that don't want to do a residency than anything else. There are tons of musical acts touring with massive screen/production setups that i'm sure could build a great Sphere show. Pretty much any modern pop star could put together a great sphere show imo. In the rock world, the bands that come to mind immediately are Tool, Muse, Metallica, Radiohead. 

What I like about Tools light show is their Howard Ungerleider laser influence. He is one of the original masterminds of immersive lasers in a rock show. Although Tools video images are stunning, in decades of concert going enjoyment, video images have never seemed important to a light show rock experience for me, outside of some additional flavor to the immersive lights and lasers, when in synch with the more syncopated music I enjoy. This is why PJs decision to have a back screen is such a huge bummmer for me as they were stunning in their 360 immersive fan vibe.Huge bummer. Also, bands seem like a million miles away from fans sitting in the 200s and up.

I Have not seen immersive lights and lasers yet in the many YT videos I’ve enjoyed from the sphere, not sure if they’ve been added to the experience yet.. I get that the sphere is a 300 foot screen, and Trey holding his guitar up to the fake black hole, while cool and funny, not sure that is what im going for in a concert experience. But again, I get the 300 foot screen is a new animal for rock shows, but not Disney lovers

 The details on the audio sounds incredible. Not sure I can get hyped about hopping on plane for a soarin (Epcot) type experience, and I don’t believe anyone in my concert circle would be up for that, so if PJ and other artists replace touring with LV Sphere shows, not sure this is a benefit to the concert going community 

opsopcopolis

Lerxst1992 said:

opsopcopolis said:

I've seen all 3 bands that have played the Sphere so far, and enjoyed all of them. U2 and Phish approached it from opposite directions, but I thought both were equally successful and enjoyable. D&C sort of straddled the line between the two content wise, and I found it to be a little behind the other two in terms of the overall direction/quality of the content. Each band's sphere show/content makes perfect sense if you really know the goal/ethos of how that band approaches live shows imo.

In terms of who could play there, I think we'll be more limited by bands that don't want to do a residency than anything else. There are tons of musical acts touring with massive screen/production setups that i'm sure could build a great Sphere show. Pretty much any modern pop star could put together a great sphere show imo. In the rock world, the bands that come to mind immediately are Tool, Muse, Metallica, Radiohead. 

What I like about Tools light show is their Howard Ungerleider laser influence. He is one of the original masterminds of immersive lasers in a rock show. Although Tools video images are stunning, in decades of concert going enjoyment, video images have never seemed important to a light show rock experience for me, outside of some additional flavor to the immersive lights and lasers, when in synch with the more syncopated music I enjoy. This is why PJs decision to have a back screen is such a huge bummmer for me as they were stunning in their 360 immersive fan vibe.Huge bummer. Also, bands seem like a million miles away from fans sitting in the 200s and up.

I Have not seen immersive lights and lasers yet in the many YT videos I’ve enjoyed from the sphere, not sure if they’ve been added to the experience yet.. I get that the sphere is a 300 foot screen, and Trey holding his guitar up to the fake black hole, while cool and funny, not sure that is what im going for in a concert experience. But again, I get the 300 foot screen is a new animal for rock shows, but not Disney lovers

 The details on the audio sounds incredible. Not sure I can get hyped about hopping on plane for a soarin (Epcot) type experience, and I don’t believe anyone in my concert circle would be up for that, so if PJ and other artists replace touring with LV Sphere shows, not sure this is a benefit to the concert going community 

You're very unlikely to get a significant light/laser show in the sphere. It's just not what it's built for, and would defeat the purpose to hang a full light rig in front of the screen. 

JT167846

I reckon were Tool ever to do it that Adam would be balls deep in the process months in advance. He's in charge of that stuff so I imagine it would be him Breck and Junior hearing to Vegas at least six months out from dates to see how they adapt to the screen instead of a light rig, and how the stage setup would change.

Seeing the end of Vicarious in there with the video and Maynard smashing those notes at that climax (admittedly he doesn't do them hardly at all nowadays but hey special occasion) would be worth the price of admission alone.

They'd have to open with Third Eye too. Have to.

smagnus1

Time for someone to call Roger Waters and friends. See if anyone is willing to redo The Walll with him. Doubt he will ever share the stage with David again but what a stellar show someone could make of it. 

RobbyD462

I’m waiting for NIN or Tool

LukinFan

RobbyD462 said:

I’m waiting for NIN or Tool

both would be pretty incredible 

pjl44

smagnus1 said:

Time for someone to call Roger Waters and friends. See if anyone is willing to redo The Walll with him. Doubt he will ever share the stage with David again but what a stellar show someone could make of it. 

Roger more likely to adapt a Riefenstahl film at this point

pjl44

https://x.com/PhishatMSG/status/1782383161017573594



https://x.com/PhishatMSG/status/1798656623302553961

eeriepadave

pjl44 said:

https://x.com/PhishatMSG/status/1782383161017573594



https://x.com/PhishatMSG/status/1798656623302553961

just saw this and was gonna post it

ZoSoTim

That’s incredible. 

sdclarky

Wow, they made it official!
Congratulations! 

jerparker20

Not sure why MSG is getting their undies in a bunch. I was at the second night of Dead & Co. and the “security” gave exactly zero fucks about the reefer smoking. Even if they would have there was nothing they could have done to stop it. I watch some dudes ripping DMT a couple rows down from me.

Anyways, congrats to that guy!!!

Zod

jerparker20 said:

Not sure why MSG is getting their undies in a bunch. I was at the second night of Dead & Co. and the “security” gave exactly zero fucks about the reefer smoking. Even if they would have there was nothing they could have done to stop it. I watch some dudes ripping DMT a couple rows down from me.

Anyways, congrats to that guy!!!

At first I thought maybe it's because he posted a picture of the staff doing nothing about it, but it's vegas.  You're allowed to smoke inside in vegas right?  It's 2024, it's not about what your smoking anymore, it's only that you are smoking something.  But you can smoke indoors in vegas, it's the city with the least amount of rules.. I dunno.  Weird for sure.

Poncier

Zod said:

jerparker20 said:

Not sure why MSG is getting their undies in a bunch. I was at the second night of Dead & Co. and the “security” gave exactly zero fucks about the reefer smoking. Even if they would have there was nothing they could have done to stop it. I watch some dudes ripping DMT a couple rows down from me.

Anyways, congrats to that guy!!!

At first I thought maybe it's because he posted a picture of the staff doing nothing about it, but it's vegas.  You're allowed to smoke inside in vegas right?  

No, not anymore.
They have banned smoking in all public places except for casino floors. No more smoking in restaurants/hotels/Spheres etc.

tempo_n_groove

Why are you guys congratulating this idiot?

Johnny Abruzzo

Poncier said:

Zod said:

jerparker20 said:

Not sure why MSG is getting their undies in a bunch. I was at the second night of Dead & Co. and the “security” gave exactly zero fucks about the reefer smoking. Even if they would have there was nothing they could have done to stop it. I watch some dudes ripping DMT a couple rows down from me.

Anyways, congrats to that guy!!!

At first I thought maybe it's because he posted a picture of the staff doing nothing about it, but it's vegas.  You're allowed to smoke inside in vegas right?  

No, not anymore.
They have banned smoking in all public places except for casino floors. No more smoking in restaurants/hotels/Spheres etc.

That was pretty funny for a Boston guy.

EL91640

Eagles announce residency:

https://variety.com/2024/music/news/eagles-announce-las-vegas-sphere-residency-1236036389/

Poncier

Nothing screams "band that embraces technology and groundbreaking visuals" more than Don Henley and his band of merry men.

JT167846

Yeah that's a weird one all right. Gorillaz yes, Eagles no...did they get the right animal?

cutz

Maybe Bands want to play there for the excellent sound?

Poncier

cutz said:

Maybe Bands want to play there for the excellent sound?

I think Eagles are playing there for the excellent payday.
Dolan looking for acts that can command big ticket prices to recoup construction costs.

cutz

Poncier said:

cutz said:

Maybe Bands want to play there for the excellent sound?

I think Eagles are playing there for the excellent payday.
Dolan looking for acts that can command big ticket prices to recoup construction costs.

That too.

mrezooc

Based on the visuals from the indy show. I feel like the band are prepping for a 2025 sphere run. 

josevolution

mrezooc said:

Based on the visuals from the indy show. I feel like the band are prepping for a 2025 sphere run. 

It’s worth every penny to see a show at the Sphere