U2 saluted their stage-absent drummer Larry Mullen Jr as the band's much-anticipated Las Vegas residency began at the new venue MSG Sphere on Friday night.

The 25-date residency at the 17,600-capacity Sphere will run until December Photo: Rich Fury

Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and drummer Bram van den Berg - filling in at the Las Vegas shows - dedicated All I Want Is You to Mullen, who is recovering after back surgery.

U2 are expected to play to over 300,000 people at their Las Vegas dates Photo: Rich Fury

Speaking on The Brendan O'Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1, Dave Fanning described the stage production as "on a different planet altogether".

The opening night of U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere saw the band play their classic 1991 album in its entirety Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation

"They couldn't bring this gig anywhere else," he continued from Las Vegas after the concert. "You wouldn't see it anywhere - no wonder it's a residency. This simply couldn't happen anywhere else."

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The opening night of U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere saw the band play their classic 1991 album in its entirety as they took a trip through their back catalogue and also showcased their new single, Atomic City, which was released on Friday and included Mullen behind the drums in the promo video.

Bono in full flight on Friday night Photo: Rich Fury

Friday night's set featured a number of other dedications: Desire was dedicated to Paul McCartney and included a Love Me Do snippet; the acoustic Love Rescue Me was dedicated to the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett; and With or Without You saw the band thanking family, friends, colleagues, and crew.

Ahead of the shows, U2 said: "The Sphere is more than just a venue, it's a gallery and U2's music is going to be all over the walls" Photo: Rich Fury

In a nod to U2's musical inspirations, Angel of Harlem featured snippets of Van Morrison's Into the Mystic and Thin Lizzy's Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight).

The Achtung Baby 'baby' on the Sphere's exosphere on opening night Photo: FlyByChicago

The 25-date residency at the 17,600-capacity Sphere will run until December, with U2 expected to play to over 300,000 people.

The Edge on Friday night Photo: Rich Fury

The Setlist:

Achtung Baby
Zoo Station
The Fly
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Mysterious Ways
One
Until the End of the World
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World

The Sphere has been built on the promise of a state-of-the-art audio-visual experience for music fans Photo: Rich Fury

Acoustic
All I Want Is You
Desire
Angel of Harlem
Love Rescue Me
Achtung Baby
So Cruel
Acrobat
Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
Love Is Blindness

Adam Clayton on Friday night Photo: Rich Fury

Encore:
Elevation
Atomic City
Vertigo
Where the Streets Have No Name
With or Without You
Beautiful Day

Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Bram van den Berg shrink the arena to their size Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation

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