U2 have confirmed they will be taking up a residency in Las Vegas this autumn - without drummer Larry Mullen Jr as he recovers from surgery.
The world-famous Irish rock band will begin a run of dates at the newly opened MSG Sphere for an immersive show later this year. Fans can register their interest in ticket information at: verifiedfan.livenation.com/u2.
"It's going to take all we’ve got to approach the Sphere without our bandmate in the drum seat, but Larry has joined us in welcoming Bram van den Berg, who is a force in his own right," U2 said in a statement on their official website.
Speaking to The Washington Post last November, 61-year-old Mullen explained that a lifetime of drumming had taken its toll and required surgery.
"I have lots of bits falling off, elbows, knees, necks, and so during Covid, when we weren't playing, I got a chance to have a look at some of these things," Mullen said. "So, there's some damage along the way.
"So, I'd like to take some time, which I will do to get myself healed and I really enjoy playing and I enjoy the process of playing and being in the company of creative people. I enjoy that. I don't care if that's big or small. It's a bit like the sprout looking for water."
News of the Las Vegas residency was confirmed during an advert at the 2023 Super Bowl in the US on Sunday.
The extended trailer showed reports of an "unidentified flying object" with a large silver sphere floating through the air.
U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at The Sphere will kick off in the autumn of 2023.
The band said the Sphere show "has been in the works for a long time".
"We don't want to let people down, least of all our audience... the truth is we miss them as much as they appear to miss us… our audience was always the fifth member of the band. Bottom line, U2 hasn't played live since December 2019 and we need to get back on stage and see the faces of our fans again. And what a unique stage they're building for us out there in the desert..." they continued.
"We're the right band, ACHTUNG BABY the right album, and the Sphere the right venue to take the live experience of music to the next level... That's what U2's been trying to do all along with our satellite stages and video installations, most memorably on the ZOO TV Tour, which ended in Tokyo 30 years ago this Fall.
"The Sphere is more than just a venue, it's a gallery and U2's music is going to be all over the walls."
The news comes ahead of the band's Songs of Surrender – a collection of 40 songs from U2’s back catalogue, re-recorded and reimagined – which is due to be released on 17 March.
Source: Press Association
