Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
U2 teases MSG Sphere in Super Bowl ad
WE see a baby. We’ll name the tyke, “Achtung.” U2 fans know the reference. The legendary rock band is planning to do a splashy advertisement during Sunday’s Super Bowl LVII on Fox. A band representative released a cryptic, and also very pretty, image of the MSG Sphere at The Venetian with a baby’s head glowing from within. The splendor of the Strip at night is shown in the background.
A link to U2XSPHERE.COM is attached, for additional information. That additional information is a larger version of the baby image.
U2 has widely been reported across international media companies to be the opening production at The Sphere. We have reported in this space the first two dates expected to be in late-september, with U2 focusing on “Achtung Baby,” released November 1991.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment confirmed in its quarterly report Thursday that the 18,600-capacity spherical venue will open on the Strip in September.
The celebrated Irish rockers would be the first of between four and six headlining acts. Resident superstars would play two shows per weekend over six non-consecutive weekends for a total of 12 shows.
During Preview Las Vegas on Jan. 23, MSG Entertainment President Lucas Watson confirmed that rotation of shows, without confirming U2 or any other artist, for the Sphere.
The general plan is consistent with Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer David Byrnes’ comments Friday that the venue would open in September.
U2 has edged toward leaking the details over the past several weeks.
Frontman Bono told actor and podcast host Sean Hayes last month he could not announce any Vegas plans. But the rock star did say, “We haven’t signed off on it but if we do, if we do sign off on this, I will say that if we can pull off what we’re talking about, it’s not like anything we’ve ever done before. It’s nothing like Las Vegas has ever seen before. If this happens, this will be really extraordinary.”
Beyhive enlivened
Beyoncé got a quick verdict on demand for her Renaissance World Tour tour stop at Allegiant Stadium.
The all-time Grammy Award champion has added a second tour stop in Las Vegas, on Aug. 27, less than a week after Ticketmaster listed her tickets on its Verified Fan link. Allegiant Stadium announced the added show on social media “due to high demand.”
Beyoncé will have sold about 80,000 tickets in Las Vegas over two shows by the time she hits town for her first performance on Aug. 26.
Love this power
Sammy Hagar can create an all-star, Cabo-favored party pretty much anywhere. Next Saturday he’ll roll his rock ‘n’ roll rescue effort into the MGM Grand Garden.
It happens at the 26th annual Keep Memory Alive Power of Love gala, the benefit event for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Hagar and music director Greg Phillinganes are piloting a live performance with John Mayer, Alice Cooper, Michael Mcdonald of the Doobie Brothers, Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon, Paul Abdul, Rick Springfield, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Chad Kroeger of Nickleback and comic Nikki Glaser.
“This year’s entertainment is going to look like Coachella,” Hagar said in a phone interview last week. “It’s going to be insane.”
It is a full house in the giant hotel-casino. But none of those stars had even been contacted by Dec. 30. That night, Larry Ruvo, who co-founder KMA and the Ruvo Center with his wife, Camille, called Hagar in Maui.
“Larry called me in the middle of the night,” Hagar said. “I said, ‘What are you doing up at this hour?’ But he said, ‘I need your help,’ and all I said was, ‘Done, done.’ ”
Star Chef Emeril Lagasse had introduced Hagar to Ruvo some 15 years ago, when the Red Rocker branching to cocktail distribution. Ruvo is a master of the industry as an executive for Southern Glazer’s of Nevada.
As always, the 75-year-old Hagar is mixing his rock ‘n’ roll iconography with his entrepreneurial vision. He is now in partnership with Southern Glazer’s in his many spirits interests, among them Sammy’s Beach Bar Cocktail Co.’s canned sparkling rum cocktails, Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, and Santo Tequila and Mezquila, a partnership between Hagar and star chef Guy Fieri.
The night will honor Paul Mitchell Systems hair products co-founder John Paul Dejoria, and the man known as the original Las Vegas Raider, broadcast great and Gorman High grad David Humm.
In addition, Maria Shriver, founder of The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, will be in attendance in her role as strategic advisor for Women’s Health and Alzheimer’s at Cleveland Clinic. Celeb chefs Wolfgang Puck (a KMA supporter for more than two decades) Tal Ronnen, founder and of Crossroads will prepare the lavish multicourse dinner.
“My father always said, ‘You’ll know who your friends are when the chips are down.’ Well, the chips were stacked this year,” Ruvo said. “This show was put together in less than 12 days with the support and friendship of people I am blessed to have in my life.”
Cool Hang Alert
The talented and dexterous singer-songwriter Shawn Eiferman hosts his openmic shows from 8 p.m.-“late” on Wednesdays at The Shag Room at Virgin Hotel Las Vegas. Gems are found in these events, and Eiferman is among them.