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Lady Gaga to revive ‘Jazz & Piano’ residency in Vegas

Lady Gaga is again reviving her ‘Jazz & Piano’ Las Vegas residency this summer.

The 13-time Grammy Award-winning singer will return to Dolby Live at Park MGM for eight dates between 19 June and 6 July.

The residency, which debuted in 2019, celebrates her love of the Great American Songbook and features reworked versions of her biggest hits.

Gaga revived the residency at Dolby Live late last summer until early autumn, following the death of Tony Bennett, with whom she collaborated closely during the latter years of his life.

The setlist boasts several songs that the pair recorded and performed together, such as “Cheek to Cheek” and “The Lady Is a Tramp”.

The residency celebrates her love of the Great American Songbook and features reworked versions of her biggest hits

The first Jazz & Piano shows in 2019 were paired with her Enigma concert residency, in which she showcased her pop hits.

The 11-date sold-out run at The Park Theater at Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas grossed $16 million and sold 59,162 tickets, according to Billboard.

The residency comprised two Jazz & Piano shows and nine Enigma shows and, notably, the former concerts were individually the two highest-grossing and least-attended dates.

Gaga’s most recent performances include a private show at the Fontainebleau in Vegas last month, as well as a Fortnite: Battle Royale gig during the 2024 Fortnite Festival on 22 February.

 


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U2’s Sphere run closes after 700k+ ticket sales

U2 sold more than 700,000 tickets for their groundbreaking residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, which wrapped up earlier this month.

In partnership with Live Nation and Sphere Entertainment, the band played to fans from over 100 countries across 40 sold-out dates from 29 September 2023 to 2 March 2024. Tickets started at US$140 (€129), with 60% of tickets priced under $300.

The acclaimed U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere run at the next-generation 17,500-seat/20,000-cap venue saw Dutch musician Bram van den Berg step in as a temporary replacement for drummer Larry Mullen Jr, who was taking time out due to surgery.

Mullen was in attendance for the Friday night of the closing weekend, later posting to the group’s social media: “What an incredible night at Sphere. So grateful to Bono, Edge and Adam and of course Bram for an amazing job, very emotional night for me personally.”

The Eagles have reportedly been in talks over a potential Sphere residency for later this year

The project saw the group reunite with creative collaborator and show director Willie Williams, as well as artists including Es Devlin, John Gerrard and Marco Brambilla. Billboard Boxscore reported that the first 17 shows grossed $109.8 million and sold 281,000 tickets, making it the fastest-grossing residency in Boxscore history.

American rock band Phish are the next major act lined up to play at the Sphere and will deliver a four-show stint at the 17,500-seat/20,000-cap venue from 18-21 April 2024, with Dead & Company to follow with 18 concerts across six consecutive weeks from 16 May to 6 June, with a different setlist performed each weekend.

TMZ recently reported the Eagles have been in talks over a potential Sphere residency to launch in the autumn. The band are currently in the midst of their final tour, titled The Long Goodbye, which is expected to run to 2025.

In its latest financial results, the Sphere in Las Vegas posted losses of US$193.9m for fiscal 2024 Q2 – its first full quarter of operation – on revenue of $167.8m. Sphere Entertainment reported event-related revenues of $55.2m, almost entirely from concerts, for the quarter.

 


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Adele pauses Las Vegas residency due to illness

Adele has been forced to postpone a series of Las Vegas concerts due to illness.

The 35-year-old’s 100-night Weekends with Adele residency at The Colosseum (cap. 4,100) at Caesars Palace which launched in November 2022, is due to wrap up in June this year.

The affected dates are 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30 March.

“Sadly I have to take a beat and pause my Vegas residency,” says Adele in a social media post. “I was sick at the end of the last leg and all the way through my break. I hadn’t quite gotten the chance to get back to full health before shows resumed and now I’m sick again, and unfortunately it’s all taken a toll on my voice. And so on doctor’s orders I have no chance but to rest thoroughly.

“The remaining five weekends of this leg are being postponed to a later date”

“The remaining five weekends of this leg are being postponed to a later date. We are already working out the details and you will be sent the information asap.”

Aside from the Vegas run, WME-represented Adele has played only limited live dates in support of her most recent album, 2021’s 30 – performing two nights at the 65,000-cap BST Hyde Park in London, UK in July 2022.

The British singer will also perform ten nights at an 80,000-cap pop-up stadium at Munich Messe exhibition centre in Germany from 2-3, 9-10, 14, 16, 23-24 and 30-31 August this year.

More than 2.2 million people registered to buy tickets for the run. The exclusive European performances, promoted by Live Nation, will mark the first time Adele has performed in mainland Europe since 2016.

 


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Usher delivers ‘daring’ Super Bowl halftime show

Usher was joined by an all-star cast of artists for his ‘daring’ halftime show at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, last night.

The R&B star delivered a revered 12-minute medley at the Allegiant Stadium before the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in an overtime thriller.

The title clash – predicted to be the most-watched NFL game of all time – was watched by an in-person crowd of 65,000 and shown in 190 countries.

The coveted halftime slot saw Usher perform alongside a raft of artists including H.E.R., Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.am and Jermaine Dupri.

The singer’s 14-song set included hits such as Yeah!, Confessions Part II, Love in this Club, My Boo, Caught Up and Burn.

Prior to the Super Bowl halftime performance, Usher said he would honour Black musical legacy at the event. “I think about what our country has represented for Black artists, having to, at some point, go through kitchens to even be able to perform for an audience,” he told Good Morning America.

“I was not exaggerating when I [said] that my performance would be a celebration of the past 30 years of my career”

“They had to leave back through that same door, you know, fearing for their lives as they went to the next state to do the same thing. So I’m coming through the front door with this one. I think about all the R&B performers who are carrying this moment.”

Earlier in the night, Post Malone kicked off the festivities, delivering a special acoustic performance before the game began.

“I was not exaggerating when I shared with the world that my performance would be a celebration of the past 30 years of my career,” said Usher after the event. “I will never forget the energy from the cast & crew, the fans in the stadium, the guest performers and the adrenaline from this monumental milestone in my career. I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it, my goal always is to bring people together and feel good through my music and performance.”

The 45-year-old today extended his upcoming North America tour, USHER: Past Present Future, to 51 dates.

Last week, the eight-time Grammy Award-winner hit his highest-ever gross from touring with his Las Vegas residencies.

 


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Usher hits $100m mark with Vegas residencies

Usher has reportedly earned more than $100 million from his prolonged stint in Las Vegas, marking his highest-ever gross from touring.

In July 2021, he launched Usher: The Las Vegas Residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and a year later, he moved down the strip to MGM’s Dolby Live for My Way: The Vegas Residency.

The Caesars residency comprised 14 shows in July and August 2021, and another six at the beginning of 2022. Those 20 dates earned $18.8m and sold 84,000 tickets.

The MGM run was more extensive, with 80 shows between July 2022 and December 2023, during which he grossed $95.9m and sold 394,000 tickets.

Usher’s Vegas shows grossed $114.6m and sold 479,000 tickets across 100 dates

Altogether, Usher’s Vegas shows grossed $114.6m and sold 479,000 tickets across 100 dates. Both residencies have averaged a $239 ticket.

On a per-show scale, My Way: The Vegas Residency averaged $1.198m each night, according to Billboard.

The news comes a day before Usher is due to release Coming Home, his first studio LP in eight years. This weekend, the 45-year-old will perform at the Super Bowl.

The eight-time Grammy Award winner has also lined up a US arena tour for later this year called Usher: Past Present Future.

 


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Mariah Carey announces Las Vegas residency

Mariah Carey has announced a Las Vegas residency for this April, consisting of eight shows at the Park MGM hotel and casino.

The Celebration of Mimi run is a mod to her seminal 2005 ‘comeback’ album The Emancipation of Mimi, which turns 20 next year.

The Live Nation-backed concerts will feature fan favourites from the album, as well as other hits from across Carey’s back catalogue, according to the announcement.

Shows are booked for 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26 and 27 April and will take place at Park MGM’s Dolby Live venue.

The concerts will feature fan favourites from the album, as well as other hits from across Carey’s back catalogue

The Emancipation of Mimi included singles We Belong Together and It’s Like That and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling more than 400,000 copies in its first week. It went on to become the US’s best-selling album in 2005.

Carey has performed a number of Vegas residencies in recent years. Between 2015 and 2017, the 54-year-old played 50 concerts at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace as part of a residency dubbed #1 To Infinity.

Between 2018 and 2020, she returned to the venue for a residency series called The Butterly Returns. In addition to those residencies, Carey played a string of Christmas-themed shows at Caesars Palace in December 2017 and 2019.

Park MGM’s Dolby Live venue will also host residencies from Bruno Mars, Maroon 5 and Lady Gaga this year.

 


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The Killers set for ‘Hot Fuss’ Las Vegas residency

The Killers are to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album Hot Fuss with a special residency in their hometown of Las Vegas.

The American rock band, who are represented by WME, have announced eight shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace between 14-30 August.

The dates will see the group – Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci Jr – perform the record front to back for the first time ever.

Prior to the run, The Killers will bring their Rebel Diamonds Tour to the UK and Ireland for 16 arena shows (their first UK arena dates since 2017) in June/July. It will visit Dublin’s 3Arena (12 & 14-15 June), the new Co-0p Live in Manchester (18-19 & 21-22 June) and Glasgow’s OVO Hydro (25-27 June), plus six nights at The O2 in London (4-5, 7-8 & 10-11 July).

This year will also see Wu-Tang Clan become the first hip-hop group to launch a Las Vegas residency

This year will also see Wu-Tang Clan become the first hip-hop group to launch a Las Vegas residency. Announced last month, The Saga Continues shows come in the wake of 2023’s 50th anniversary of hip-hop celebrations.

The rap collective will play the 4,600-cap The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas from 9-10 February and 22-23 March. Tickets are priced from US$65.

“This residency is more than a concert – it serves as a tribute to their prolific careers as individuals and as the most storied group in hip-hop history,” says a Virgin Hotels statement.

Other Sin City residencies in Q1 2024 include Bruno Mars at Dolby Live at Park MGM, Adele at The Colosseum, U2 at the Sphere, Christina Aguilera at The Venetian, Kylie Minogue at Voltaire, Kelly Clarkson at Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood, Carrie Underwood at Resorts World Theatre and New Edition at Encore Theater, Wynn Las Vegas.

 


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Ed Lunger upped to GM, SVP of Sphere Las Vegas

Sphere Entertainment Co. has promoted Ed Lunger to senior vice president/general manager of Sphere, the groundbreaking new venue that opened in Las Vegas last September.

Lunger previously served as vice president and assistant general manager, back-of-house operations, for the 17,500-seat/20,000-cap venue.

In his new role, Lunger will oversee a wide range of functions as part of the overall management of the venue, including building operations, event production, technical operations, guest services, food and beverage, merchandise operations, and ticket operations.

He will also work cross-functionally across the Sphere organisation to develop, execute, and support strategic plans aligned with Sphere’s overall business objectives, according to a release. Lunger is based in Las Vegas.

“I am pleased that Ed has taken on a new leadership role with Sphere,” says Rich Claffey, executive vice president and chief operations officer, Sphere.

“Ed will ensure that Sphere is well positioned to continue building on our world-class experience”

“Since its opening, Sphere has been delivering a first-of-its-kind experience to guests. With his deep expertise in venue management and operations, including at other venues in the MSG Family of Companies, Ed will ensure that Sphere is well positioned to continue building on our world-class experience.”

Lunger says: “Being part of the Sphere team opening this next-generation venue has been an honour, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to now lead our venue operations team in this new role.

“Sphere is setting a new standard for the in-venue guest experience, and I look forward to working with my colleagues across the organisation as we continue to deliver unforgettable moments for our guests right here in Las Vegas.”

Lunger has been a key member of the Sphere venue leadership team since 2020. Prior to that, he spent seven years on the venue operations team at the Forum arena in Inglewood, California, which was part of the MSG Family of Companies until its sale in May 2020.

Lunger’s prior experience also includes various venue operations and engineering roles at Madison Square Garden in New York, which he first joined in 1989 as an HVAC and mechanical equipment engineer.

 


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U2 announce final four Las Vegas Sphere dates

U2 have added a final four dates to their groundbreaking U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere residency in Las Vegas, bringing the band’s run to a total of 40 nights.

Sphere Entertainment and Live Nation have confirmed the additional shows, set for 23-24 February and 1-2 March 2024, following “overwhelming, sustained demand”. Tickets start at US$140 (€132), with 60% of tickets priced under $300.

The Irish rock legends launched the run to rave reviews on 29 September to open the $2.3 billion venue. Dutch musician Bram van den Berg has stepped in as a temporary replacement for drummer Larry Mullen Jr, who is taking time out due to surgery.

The project has seen the group reunite with creative collaborator and show director Willie Williams, as well as artists including Es Devlin, John Gerrard and Marco Brambilla. Billboard Boxscore reported that the first 17 shows grossed $109.8 million and sold 281,000 tickets, making it the fastest-grossing residency in Boxscore history.

The brainchild of Madison Square Garden boss James Dolan, the Sphere features a 160,000 sq. foot LED display inside the main venue, which wraps up, over and around the audience for a fully immersive experience in cutting-edge 16K x 16K resolution.

American rock band Phish are the next major act lined up to play at the Sphere and will deliver a four-show run at the 17,500-seat/20,000-cap venue from 18-21 April 2024, with each night set to feature a unique setlist and visuals.

“The entire five-year planning process was hijacked by the Mayor and his bogus last-minute report”

The New York Post reported last month that Beyoncé is in talks over a potential Sphere residency, with Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga also rumoured to be in consideration.

It emerged last week, meanwhile, that the UK government has stepped in to prevent plans for an MSG Sphere in London from being scrapped. Levelling-up secretary Michael Gove has ordered a six-week pause as he considers whether to call in the application for the development on the edge of the Olympic Park in Stratford.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan earlier rejected proposals for the 21,500-capacity venue, stating concerns about the amount of light pollution that it would cause for residents. But Gove’s department, which has the power to overrule the Mayor, subsequently wrote to the London Legacy Development Corporation to instruct it not to deny planning permission at this stage.

Sphere Entertainment, which said it was focusing on the “many forward-thinking cities that are eager to bring this technology to their communities” in the wake of Khan’s refusal, hit out at the Mayor’s ruling in a new statement issued following Gove’s intervention.

“The entire five-year planning process was hijacked by the Mayor and his bogus last-minute report,” says a Sphere spokesperson. “Londoners should be dismayed that they are not going to benefit from this groundbreaking project, and others looking to invest in London should certainly be wary. Moreso, everyone should be alarmed by how easily the government’s established process was tossed aside by one politically motivated official.

“Mr Gove’s action, although commendable, still appears to us to be more of the same, and we cannot continue to participate in a process that can be so easily undermined by political winds. As we said previously, we will focus on the many forward-thinking cities.”

 


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Next act to play MSG Sphere Las Vegas revealed

Phish is the next major act booked to play at the MSG Sphere Las Vegas, following in the footsteps of U2.

The American rock band will deliver a four-show run at the 17,500-seat/20,000-cap venue from 18-21 April, 2024, with each night set to feature a unique setlist and visuals.

“From the moment we first heard about Sphere and its potential, we’ve been dreaming up ways to bring our show to this breathtaking canvas,” says Trey Anastasio, Phish guitarist and vocalist, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to present this completely unique experience to Phish fans.”

The band, who are known for making each show unique, have promised a “once-in-a-lifetime audio-visual experience” during the shows.

“From the moment we first heard about Sphere, we’ve been dreaming up ways to bring our show to this breathtaking canvas”

The Sphere features a 160,000 sq. foot LED display inside the main venue, which wraps up, over and around the audience for a fully immersive experience in cutting-edge 16K x 16K resolution.

Ticket requests for the Phish run are now open until 12:00 pm ET on 11 December. All remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning 15 December at 1 pm ET.

The venue’s first resident artist, U2, wrapped their fourth leg of the U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere residency on 4 November, with Billboard Boxscore reporting that the 17 shows grossed $109.8 million and sold 281,000 tickets, marking the fastest-grossing residency in Boxscore history.

Last week, MSG’s plans for a Sphere venue in London were rejected by the Mayor of London who said “the current proposals would result in an unacceptable negative impact on local residents”.

A spokesperson for MSG tells IQ: “While we are disappointed in London’s decision, there are many forward-thinking cities that are eager to bring this technology to their communities. We will concentrate on those.”

 


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