Phish to follow U2 with Las Vegas Sphere shows
Phish have been announced as the next band to take up residency at The Sphere.
The Vermont band are due to play in April 2024, where they will play the iconic LA venue for four nights. They will follow from U2’s highly-acclaimed residency at the mega venue. An NME review of their opening night said The Sphere “truly takes your breath away”.
You can catch Phish live from April 18-21 – get your tickets here, and travel packages are on sale here.
“From the moment we first heard about Sphere and its potential, we’ve been dreaming up ways to bring our show to this breathtaking canvas,” Phish guitarist/vocalist Trey Anastasio said. “We’re thrilled to present this completely unique experience to Phish fans.”
Phish are soon due to play their annual Madison Square Garden shows from December 28-31 – get your tickets here.
The Sphere is a $2.3billion (£1.8billion) dome with an 18,000 capacity and 160,000 speakers. It’s complete with an LED screen that completely wraps around inside the dome. U2 have been playing their show in The Sphere since September this year, and recently extended their dates up until February 2024 due to “unprecedented demand”. Purchase remaining tickets here.
Recent reports have shown the venue has reportedly lost $98.4million. The company reported revenues of $118million, but it is down 71 per cent from a year ago, as per The New York Post. In a comment to NME, The Sphere’s Executive Chairman and CEO James L. Dolan said: “Sphere’s opening in Las Vegas in September represented a significant milestone, generating worldwide attention and marking the beginning of a new chapter for our Company.
“We are building positive momentum across Sphere and remain confident that we are well positioned to drive long-term value for shareholders.”
There has been recent debate over plans for a similar Sphere venue to be built in Stratford, London, announced back in 2018. The 21,500-capacity venue would have been the largest concert arena in London. However, Mayor Sadiq Khan rejected the plans on November 20, due to the “negative impact” the venue may have on Stratford residents.
However, last Friday (December 1), the UK Government have stepped in to try and prevent plans from being scrapped. According to The Standard, MP Michael Gove is working to convince Khan to go ahead with The Sphere via a letter to the London Legacy Development Corporation.
As secretary of state, Gove has the ability to overrule the Mayor, and Gove has suggested he wants a chance to look over the plans before they are scrapped.
The post Phish to follow U2 with Las Vegas Sphere shows appeared first on NME.
Alex Rigotti
NME
