’Everyone Welcome’
’Everyone Welcome’
’Everyone Welcome’
’Everyone Welcome’
09 DECEMBER 2023 1 MIN READ

'Everyone Welcome'

'Whoever you are. Whoever you want to be.' Night 21 for U2:UV.

09 Dec 2023
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'Everyone Welcome'

The Sphere is a  'a shape-shifting kind of a deal', explained Bono tonight. 'It can be a cave, it can turn into a Berlin club in the '90s, it can be... an Elvis chapel, it can be an Elvis megachurch, and then later it can turn into a cathedral of the natural world. Stick around!'

Everybody did stick around and  Elvis was definitely in the house on night twenty one of U2:UV. The 22-song set featured snatches of Presley standards, including 'Love Me Tender' and 'Viva Las Vegas' as well as snippets from Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love', The Rolling Stones' 'Paint It Black', and Lou Reed's 'Walk On The Wild  Side'. 


What Did Bono Say

After 'Even Better Than The Real Thing' with its mind-bending Marco Brambilla's seven-stages-of-Elvis-Presley video artwork: 'Everyone OK up there? Your heads are done in right? Our heads are done in and we work here. Appearing every Friday...'
 
A dive into Lou Reed's 'Walk On The Wild Side' took us from As 'All I Want Is You' into 'Desire': 'Everyone welcome here. Whoever you are. Whoever you want to be. That's right. Acrobats, magicians — all welcome... lion tamers, taxi drivers, sword swallowers…even parents with children!'

Introducing 'Love Rescue Me' as a song that's a whisper and a prayer: 'Now it feels like a prayer for the moment we're in… If you're not the praying type, close your eyes and think of someone or a situation that is so desperate you've all but given up hope. That's the moment when your thoughts, your prayers, can almost add up to action.'

Shout Outs

To Jerry Schilling, Elvis Presley's longtime friend and business partner. Bono told a story about Jerry and the band's visit to Graceland during the Rattle and Hum: 'Jerry, you foolishly let us in and told us not to play with the motorcycles and that's exactly what we did! You are a lesson in grace, that's for sure.'

On the Socials

'The word amazing is used far too often in today's day and age. I'm making an exception for #U2 at #TheSphere Simply amazing! A truly spectacular melding of music and art. Sheer brilliance. For those who have tickets already buckle up. For those who don't, get them.' —@scottaxe on X

'Has to be one of the better Friday nights ever #u2 #thesphere' —@Mirsb85 on X

'I'm not crying @U2 at the @SphereVegas, YOU'RE CRYING! "With Or Without You" #U2UVSPHERE. #ournewvegaslife.'—@JamesBertani on X

Zootopia/U2 Faniverse

'It's been an incredible show case for the Edge. So many brilliant solos' —Crooky

'It would have been great if they had 1,000 Morleighs dancing for this one' —youtoo17

If you were at the show in Vegas, add your own review and upload your photos here.

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