Ya I agree with what you’re saying here. I saw movies from a buddy who went and couldn’t help but think “wow the band’s kinda a minescule part of the whole thing”. The lack of speakers, lighting and stage scaffolding looked….not very rock. And while the live shows I’ve seen this year have been great I do feel the production that goes into these shows with lights and screens and so much going on it’s a little overwhelming at times (not to mention more expensive because of that extra production cost).
I went last night and have to say you were incorrect. The songs you see on social media are designed to be viewed as you describe, but they have two sections with little to no visuals and an encore that were all focused on the band. The visuals also severely enhanced the songs to an infathomable level. Everyone has heard With or Without You thousands of times, but the visuals were so intense it was bringing everyone to tears.
I've seen hundreds of concerts, many extremely intimate in small clubs and the sphere isnt replacing those because bands that play those shows dont play the sphere. Its made for U2 who you're never going to see in a club ever, so why are you comparing the two?
Thanks for posting this: I thought I was the only person who felt there was something off about the whole Sphere thing; now you've made it clear what it was in this great article.
You said it. Yes a club show is more intimate duh, but this spectacle is gross. Arena rock has always sucked (thanks Rolling Stones for inventing it). I have a hard time imagining any act worth seeing will play second fiddle to the new Vegas laser show. Biased because I hate U2.
So...basically U2 was elevator music for the Sphere? That is atrocious.
I'm not as much a rock connoisseur but I fully get what you said about the humanity of a real rock concert.
Given my location, I experienced rock concerts via YouTube. It is definitely better when it's multiple people watching their artist on stage, sharing a musical experience. Kinda like a big fete in my region.
Ya I agree with what you’re saying here. I saw movies from a buddy who went and couldn’t help but think “wow the band’s kinda a minescule part of the whole thing”. The lack of speakers, lighting and stage scaffolding looked….not very rock. And while the live shows I’ve seen this year have been great I do feel the production that goes into these shows with lights and screens and so much going on it’s a little overwhelming at times (not to mention more expensive because of that extra production cost).
I went last night and have to say you were incorrect. The songs you see on social media are designed to be viewed as you describe, but they have two sections with little to no visuals and an encore that were all focused on the band. The visuals also severely enhanced the songs to an infathomable level. Everyone has heard With or Without You thousands of times, but the visuals were so intense it was bringing everyone to tears.
I've seen hundreds of concerts, many extremely intimate in small clubs and the sphere isnt replacing those because bands that play those shows dont play the sphere. Its made for U2 who you're never going to see in a club ever, so why are you comparing the two?
The traffic test. That's so spot on. I need to remember that. What a great barometer
Thanks for posting this: I thought I was the only person who felt there was something off about the whole Sphere thing; now you've made it clear what it was in this great article.
You said it. Yes a club show is more intimate duh, but this spectacle is gross. Arena rock has always sucked (thanks Rolling Stones for inventing it). I have a hard time imagining any act worth seeing will play second fiddle to the new Vegas laser show. Biased because I hate U2.
So...basically U2 was elevator music for the Sphere? That is atrocious.
I'm not as much a rock connoisseur but I fully get what you said about the humanity of a real rock concert.
Given my location, I experienced rock concerts via YouTube. It is definitely better when it's multiple people watching their artist on stage, sharing a musical experience. Kinda like a big fete in my region.