If Las Vegas’ biggest export is hyperbole (which doesn’t always live up to its name), perhaps the debut of what is arguably the world’s most advanced video entertainment complex helps put an end to such doubts.
The opening of the “MSG Sphere” dome on the Vegas strip was the talk of the town this weekend when U2 launched its two and a half-month’s residency in the new facility which builders, led by MSG Network owner James Dolan, proclaim “is a next-generation entertainment medium, powered by cutting-edge technologies to create extraordinary experiences that bring wonder to the world.”
Those cutting edge technologies include a giant 360-degree wraparound video display that wraps up, over, and around the audience, creating a fully-immersive visual environment for audiences seated in the 17,600 seat theater. The dome itself measures 516 feet wide and stands 366 feet tall with 580,000 square feet total. The 160,000 square foot LED display, featuring 16Kx16K resolution, with the ability to display 256 colors on skyline, is billed as the highest resolution LED screen in the world.
MSG is touting its Sphere Immersive Sound Immersive as “the world’s largest concert-grade audio system.” Developed specifically for Sphere’s unique curved interior, the system consists of approximately 1,600 permanently installed and 300 mobile HOLOPLOT X1 Matrix Array loudspeaker modules and includes a total of 167,000 individually amplified loudspeaker drivers.
The system utilizes HOLOPLOT’s next-generation 3D Audio-Beamforming and Wave Field Synthesis technology to transform how audio is delivered in large-scale venues, resulting in what Sphere says is "controlled, consistent, and crystal-clear concert-grade audio for audiences of up to 20,000 people, providing each audience member with a truly exceptional and personalized listening experience."
The entire sound system is completely hidden behind Sphere’s 160,000 square foot interior LED display plane.
U2’s The Edge said, “The beauty of Sphere is not only the ground-breaking technology that will make it so unique, with the world’s most advanced audio system integrated into a structure which is designed with sound quality as a priority; it’s also the possibilities around immersive experiences in real and imaginary landscapes. In short, it’s a canvas of an unparalleled scale and image resolution, and a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We all thought about it and decided we’d be mad not to accept the invitation.”
As if the audio and video whiz bang tech is not enough, Sphere also features patented 4D technologies such as infrasound haptic seating, and various atmospheric and environmental effects, such as warm breezes, evocative scents and changing temperatures, “to create multi-sensory experiences that take storytelling to an entirely new level,” Sphere said.
Designed by global architect and design firm Populous, the project was announced by the Madison Square Garden Company in 2018, The $2.3 billion arena is owned by MSG Group and and Las Vegas Sands Corporation.
Based on the rave reviews over the weekend, the dome apparently lives up to the hype. USA Today called “IMAX meets the Death Star – with a lot of swagger, a head trip of artsy graphics and a trove of heartfelt songs."
From The Verge:
“From videos being posted to social media, it looks like shows at The Sphere can be breathtaking, probably more than a little nauseating, and undoubtedly expensive to produce… sometimes, things looked absolutely out of control, with wild animations spanning the entirety of the screen in ways that must be completely disorienting for our lizard brains. People were just losing it."
