Completed in September, 2023 at a cost of $2.3 billion, the Sphere in Las Vegas is 366 feet (111 m) tall and 516 feet (157 m) wide. The exterior is covered with 1.2 million hockey puck-sized LED lights that are programmed with an ever-changing array of spectacular images. The interior features a 16K 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m2), wrap-around LED display, the highest resolution and largest screen in the world.

The venue opened with a 40-show residency by Irish rock band U2. We’re longtime U2 fans and it was a real treat to see them in concert for the first time, especially so close to the stage in such an intimate environment, with only 20,000 other people. The combination of seeing U2 live for the first time and the astounding venue made for an exceptional evening.

Below are highlights from February 23 through 25th, 2024. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a map with our most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.

2/23/2024

Mercer Island Position: 47°36.39’N, -122°16.94’W Flying over Mercer Island and the I-90 floating bridge en route to Las Vegas.

Mt. St. Helens Position: 46°18.32’N, -121°51.97’W A great view on our flight from Seattle to Las Vegas to the 1 mile (1.6 km) wide horseshoe-shaped crater in Mt St. Helens left from the 1980 eruption. That event produced a 0.6 cubic miles (2.5 km3) debris avalanche and reduced the mountain’s height from 9,677 ft (2,950 m) to 8,363 ft (2,549 m)

Ivanpah Solar System Position: 35°45.28’N, -115°28.61’W Flying past the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in San Bernadino County, California. The 392-megawatt plant use mirrors to focus the sun’s energy on boilers inside three solar power towers. When opened in 2014, it was the largest solar thermal power station in the world.

Sloan Limestone Quarry, NV Position: 35°56.68’N, -115°14.69’W The massive Sloan Limestone Quarry, just outside Las Vegas, mines for calcium and magnesite.

Las Vegas Blvd Position: 36°7.32’N, -115°10.13’W Evening view to Las Vegas Blvd from our 33rd-floor room at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, where we are staying to see U2 at the Sphere tomorrow evening.

Sushisamba, Las Vegas Position: 36°7.48’N, -115°10.08’W A delicious meal over a bottle of Riesling at the Sushisamba Tree Bar in the Venetian Resort complex.

Year of the Dragon, Palazzo Position: 36°7.43’N, -115°10.11’W Year of the Dragon display at the Palazzo hotel atrium, within the Venetian Resort complex where we are staying.

Love, Palazzo Position: 36°7.41’N, -115°10.12’W The Love installation, by artist Laura Kimpton, at the Waterfall Atrium at the Palazzo hotel.

Taqueria Canonita Position: 36°7.33’N, -115°10.12’W A night-cap margarita at Taqueria Canonita along the Grand Canal inside the Venetian resort. We enjoyed the spot at the water’s edge with a view to the passing gondolas with their singing drivers.

2/24/2024

Black Tap Position: 36°7.36’N, -115°10.21’W Hundreds of bottles of Heinz ketchup on display at Black Tap Burgers & Beer in the Venetian Resort complex, where we had lunch today. Ketchup is an unusual item to feature, but the display seemed to work.

Royal Britannia Gastro Pub Position: 36°7.34’N, -115°10.18’W Drinks “outside” at the Royal Britannia Gastro Pub in the Venetian Resort complex before heading to the Sphere to see U2.

Pedestrian Bridge Position: 36°7.35’N, -115°9.93’W Walking the 1,000-foot (300 m) pedestrian bridge to the Sphere from the Sands Expo in the Venetian Resort complex.

Outside Sphere Position: 36°7.33’N, -115°9.80’W A close-up view to the Sphere from a balcony off the pedestrian bridge. At this distance, the individual hockey puck-sized LED lights that make up the pixel display are discernible.

Atrium Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W Multi-story escalators inside an expansive atrium carry attendees to the various seating levels.

7th Level Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W We’d arrived 90 minutes early for the concert and spent some time beforehand exploring the Sphere. This is the view looking down to the stage from the 700 sections. The interior of the Sphere features a 16K 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m2), wrap-around LED display, the highest resolution and largest screen in the world.

Roof Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W The roof of the sphere appears open to the sky, and it feels as if we are inside a rocket silo in a science-fiction movie. But it’s all just digitally rendered.

Soundboards Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W One of several sets of soundboards inside the Sphere. This ones are just behind our seats in section 206. You know you’ve got good seats when you are near the soundboard.

Seated Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W In our seats for the show. We’re in section 206, which were fabulous seats. We were close to the stage and had a full view of the Sphere display.

Pauli Lovejoy Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W British drummer and multi-instrumentalist Pauli Lovejoy DJing from inside a neon Trabant (East German car) that moves throughout the general admission area before U2 hits the stage.

Stage Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W The stage for U2:UV is based on Brian Eno’s artwork Turntable. A founding member of Roxy Music, the multi-talented Eno is an in-demand producer whose clients include U2 and Coldplay.

Bono & The Edge Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W U2 lead singer Bono and guitarist The Edge performing at the Sphere. We’re longtime U2 fans and it was a real treat to see them in concert for the first time, especially so close to the stage in such an intimate environment, with only 20,000 other people.

The Fly Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W During the song “The Fly” the Sphere was covered multi-colored characters that gave the illusion of a cube-shaped space, instead of spherical.

Atomic City Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W When U2 played the Las Vegas-inspired song “Atomic City” the screen showed a backdrop of the city, making it appear that the concert suddenly was outside. During a reverse-timelapse, the background reverted to empty desert.

U2 Position: 36°7.28’N, -115°9.72’W Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Bram van den Berg taking a bow at the end of a spectacular show. (Dutch musician van den Berg is replacing U2’s founding drummer, Larry Mullen Jr., who is recovering from surgery.) The combination of seeing U2 live for the first time and the astounding venue made for an exceptional evening.

The X Pot, Venetian Position: 36°7.46’N, -115°10.03’W A post-concert drink in one of the private booths at the X Pot in the Venetian Resort complex.

2/25/2024

Sphere Position: 36°6.96’N, -115°8.70’W A last view to the Sphere as our flight home to Seattle takes off from Las Vegas.

Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map. And a map of our most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.