When it was announced Larry Mullen Jr. would miss U2‘s Sphere shows, it was a big blow. Krezip drummer Bram van den Berg had to fill in. However, the absence meant that the stage setup at the Las Vegas venue could be reimagined.

In an interview with ClutchPoints, Ric Lipson of Stufish, U2's stage designer, talked about the early conversations about the shows. Mullen's absence, while big, opened up new possibilities for the shows.

He first discussed how critical the relationship between drummers and musicians is. I remember seeing the band's “Joshua Tree” anniversary show in 2017. During “The Little Things That Give You Way,” Mullen's B stage drum kit was tucked away in one corner. However, during the final song, Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton would make their way to him.

It brought the four bandmates, who have been a group since 1980, together. It's a subtle, but important part of their shows.

No Mullen, no problem

U2 Sphere show courtesy of Marco Brambilla.
Photo courtesy of Marco Brambilla.

At the same point, not having the iconic U2 drummer allowed Lipson and Co. to explore new ideas. Mullen no longer has to be front and center on the stage.

“Now, the big difference here is, of course, the drummer wasn't Larry,” Lipson said. “Larry has always been in the center. And with the ability of it not being Larry and it being Bram [van den Berg], we immediately felt that having a drummer in the center would block the video screen. So we shifted the drummer to stage left to clear that center shot.

“It's really important for the way the band interacts, that Adam and Edge and Bono and the drummer are within a certain amount of space,” he continued.

He also commented that the circular stage on U2's turntable Sphere stage is bigger than what meets the eye. During the shows, the band occasionally makes their way to van den Berg to not leave him out of the fun.

It's undoubtedly weird not seeing Larry Mullen Jr. with the sticks. Perhaps moving Bram van den Berg's drum kit was also a way of putting the OG U2 members front and center.

U2:UV

U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere is the title of the band's first-ever concert residency. They are commemorating their 1991 album, Achtung Baby, during the shows, playing the album in full for the first time. The music is combined with mind-bending visuals on the massive screens.

U2 is gearing up for the final two shows of the residency. It commenced on September 29, 2023, and 38 shows have been played. By the time it's all said and done, they will have played 40 total shows.