The Sphere may be the most mind-blowing venue in the history of music. The Las Vegas concert hall hosted its first show over the weekend, welcoming U2 for a fully immersive concert thanks to 16,000 square feet of LED screens wrapped around the entire interior of the marble-shaped venue.
Fully programmable with 16K-by-16K picture resolution, the Sphere's inner dome, which fits over 18,000 people, has wildly expanded the possibilities of a live music experience. With a massively successful launch, music fans everywhere are talking about who they want to see inside the Sphere, and we're no different. Here's 10 bands who absolutely NEED to play a show inside the Sphere.
Tool
Let's get the obvious out of the way. Tool is a band born to play the Sphere. The band's production is already off the charts, and with LED screens lining every inch of the Vegas venue, Tool can bring a 100 percent immersive experience to fans. You've got to imagine Maynard is salivating over that opportunity, as are the legions of fans willing to make the pilgrimage for the ultimate Tool show.
Pink Floyd
If the band can ever come back together again, a residency at the Sphere could be the biggest concert event in the history of Las Vegas. Pink Floyd remains one of the gods of concert visuals, and what they could achieve inside an LED bubble is limitless. And the floating pig can't accidentally fly away!
Rob Zombie
Imagine this — Rob Zombie live with scenes from classic horror films playing in every direction. Zombie is already one of the most fun live shows in the world, and his use of Universal monster movie imagery is already a horror fan's dream. This absolutely needs to happen next October.
Bring Me The Horizon
Bring Me The Horizon is the band that proves doubters wrong again and again. With Sempiternal, they began to develop their immersive soundscapes, eventually leading them to the festival headliner status Bring Me The Horizon enjoys now. Expanding their stellar production to the Sphere is a no-brainer, and with such a dynamic, multi-layered sound, the experience would be like rock concert meets rave.
Mick Gordon
You can't convince me that DOOM junkies wouldn't flock to Vegas to hear the legendary video game soundtracks live. Mick Gordon's 2016 performance at The Game Awards has 10 million views on YouTube. Imagine how many it'd have if the entire venue was surrounded by brutal gameplay footage. I'd walk into the depths of Hell myself if this concert was happening there.
Gojira
Here's another visual for you… It's 2025 and Gojira is doing 20th anniversary performances of From Mars To Sirius at the Sphere. You're on the Ocean Planet, surrounded by Flying Whales, draped with The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe. If one concert can give Gojira at Red Rocks a run for its money, it's this.
Nine Inch Nails
The industrial nightmare has come full circle. It may not be for the faint of heart, but Nine Inch Nails at the Sphere has the potential to be the most awesomely disturbing experience ever. How about the uncensored “Happiness in Slavery” video playing all around you? Or… Nine Inch Nails can just expand on the beautiful, geometric and LED-driven production they've used in the new millennium. Either way, I'm in.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden have never relied on digital imagery to provide an iconic show… it's always been giant robot Eddies, awesome tiered stages, explosions and onstage dramatics. But imagine all that while the Sphere's LED screens put you in the middle of a World War One battlefield or a dogfight in the sky. How about the actual nightmare of “The Number of the Beast” or facing the relentless seas of “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”? Absolutely epic.
Ozzy Osbourne
Despite a host of health issues, Ozzy Osbourne is hellbent on performing one last concert. Why not do it at the most insane venue on earth? There's so much classic footage of Ozzy, and being surrounded by over 50 years of iconic memories and moments while the Prince of Darkness gives his last goodbye would be a concert for the history books. Ozzy deserves it, and so does Randy Rhoads.
Meshuggah
Meshuggah's live show is the most brutal and hypnotic experience in metal, and that's just when the band's light show is coming from the stage. Picture a Meshuggah's light show raiding your ass from all angles, perfectly timed with the polyrhythmic perplexity of the djent icons. Is this not what the Sphere was made for? Fuck U2. We need Meshuggah.
