With the premiere of U2's Sphere concert film, the venue celebrated it with drones.

The Sphere posted a video of the outside of the venue on September 5, 2024. As the visuals from U2's Sphere concert film are displayed on the screen, drones arise from the top to form the V-U2 and U2:UV logos.

The visuals seen are from the opening number, “Zoo Station.” It is also the opening track from Achtung Baby. As The Edge's guitar riff comes in, the screen begins to open. It creates a Church of Light-like visual as the band members are projected on the screen.

At long last, U2's Sphere concert film is open to the public. Select fan club subscribers got to see it early. But the September 5 screening was the first chance for most to see it.

The concert film is a shortened version of the band's show. Clips showed recorded performances of “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” “One,” and other hit songs. It is the perfect experience for those who did not attend any of the Sphere shows.

This is not the first movie to premiere at the Sphere. Darren Aronofsky directed a documentary made exclusively for the venue. It is still being shown in addition to U2's concert film.

What was U2's Sphere residency?

U2's The Edge and Bono performing with Kendrick Lamar at the Grammys.
Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images.

From September 29, 2023, to March 2, 2024, U2 played a 40-night residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. This was the first time that the band played a concert residency. They were the first artist to play at the venue.

Since U2 wrapped their residency, Phish and Dead and Company have performed residencies there. Dead and Company recently wrapped up their 30-night stay. The Eagles will begin their 20-night residency on September 20.

The shows were centered around U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby. U2 played the album in full for the first time ever. This meant album tracks like “So Cruel” and “Love Is Blindness” were played for the first time in decades.

Additionally, the band would perform an acoustic set in the middle of the show. On most nights, this segment featured songs like “All I Want Is You” and “Desire” from Rattle and Hum. However, the band also took the opportunity to perform deep cuts like “Peace on Earth” and “Sweetest Thing.”

To promote the residency, the band released their first single since 2021's “Your Song Saved My Life” titled “Atomic City.” The song brought the band back to their punk roots.

U2's touring history

These were the first live concerts U2 had played since 2019. That was when they embarked on another leg of their Joshua Tree Anniversary Tour. They first went on the tour in 2017 for the 30th anniversary of the album. It visited North America and Europe in 2017.

Band members Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton were present for the residency. However, Larry Mullen Jr. had to sit out of the shows due to his recovery from health issues.

In his place was Bram van den Berg. He is known for being a member of the Dutch band Krezip. He filled in for all 40 shows of the residency.