Sphere – Las Vegas
The Sphere lit up the Las Vegas sky for the first time on July 4th. The visuals were nothing short of spectacular. You can see a few short clips below:
Just casually have a perfect view of the world’s newest and biggest sphere’s first show @SphereVegas
— Finchinator (@Finchinator2) July 5, 2023
Amazing pic.twitter.com/cUdoYbz2Rr
You can see more on Instagram and Twitter.
It’s easy to get excited for new and beautiful videos of Las Vegas – especially as some of the beautiful scenery is being disrupted by buskers. That’s a story for another day.
While the Sphere is gorgeous there are pretty, bright lights throughout Las Vegas. What’s inside the venue might be even more impressive.
Heads up for the Vegas nerds – you may notice that the Sphere is no longer the MSG Sphere At The Venetian. Earlier this year the company has been spun off from MSG. You can read about the new corporation here.
Outside Of The Sphere
The Sphere is an entertainment venue that happens to have the largest LED screen on earth. The exterior is a 580,000-square-foot fully-programmable LED screen called an “Exosphere.”
Guy Barnett the SVP of Brand Strategy and Creative Development for Sphere Entertainment said:
“The Exosphere is more than a screen or a billboard – it is living architecture, and unlike anything that exists anywhere in the world. Last night’s show provided a glimpse of the Exosphere’s captivating power, and the possibilities for artists, partners, and brands to create compelling and impactful stories to connect with audiences in new ways.”
While the Sphere is a spectacular visual, I’m not sure how many visitors will actually see the Sphere in all of its glory as we do in the images here.
One Of The Best Viewing Points – Sphere
Most visitors will be able to see partial views but not the entire gigantic video screen as shown in the impressive videos this week unless they’re away from the Vegas Strip. One of best viewing points for the Sphere visuals may be when riding the monorail.
According to Google, the venue is almost one mile east of the Vegas Strip. The walk is a little shorter from The Palazzo.
The Sphere is behind The Venetian/Palazzo and Wynn parking garage on Sands Avenue. It’s so big that it feels much closer to the Vegas Strip.
However, these structures impede a direct view of the Sphere from the Vegas Strip. For what it’s worth, the Sphere is impressive enough to take the 10-15 minute walk from the casinos.
The Sphere At The Las Vegas Grand Prix
Yes, the Sphere is a great addition to the Las Vegas skyline but the pretty lights might be best showcased during the Las Vegas Grand Prix F1 race in November.
After seeing the visuals of the Sphere, I think the T-Mobile Zone at the Las Vegas Grand Prix might be one of the best places to watch the race. It looks like there are still tickets available for this part of the circuit.
In addition to this visual stimulation, there will be concerts for ticketholders in this area.
Inside The Sphere
Personally, I’m more interested in what’s happening inside the Sphere. The tech specs make this seem like an IMAX venue for concerts.
I’m not an audiophile but my experience working with touring bands helps me understand some of the specifics. Below is a more simple explanation of what guests will experience inside the Sphere.
The circular venue has a 250-foot-high video screen. Guests will feel like they’re watching a movie or concert in a bowl.
Unlike most theaters and arenas there will be more than 160,000 speakers located throughout the venue. Most venues have speakers in next to the stage or screen. Some have speakers placed elsewhere but not this many.
The bass is my favorite instrument. This sound will come from below so guests will actually feel the powerful vibrations.
The haptic seats in the venue can vibrate to match what’s being shown on the screen giving viewers a 4D feel. Heads up, not all of the seats have the haptic feature.
The Sphere is not an ordinary theater or concert venue.
Imagine seeing a band with amazing visuals to go along with music that you love. U2 is the first band confirmed to play the Shere. Both Phish and Harry Styles have been rumored to be playing shows at the Sphere.
There’s one specific music group that I’d like to see at the Sphere. I think Tool is the only band I love and could use the Sphere to its fullest capacity.
You can see a sample of some of their live visuals here. The band isn’t the same as I fell in love with but I still enjoy the heavy prog rock the band plays live now.
The exterior of the Sphere is getting the shine today but the plans for an unmatched audio/visual experience for concerts sound out of this world.
