Robert Jackman

At Las Vegas’s Sphere I saw the future of live arts

Evangelists of this quilted dome of LED screens see it as a revolutionary new way of experiencing music, film and sport alike. Critics see a glorified screensaver

To evangelists, Las Vegas’s Sphere will reshape how we interact with music, film and sport alike [Raf Williams] 
issue 12 October 2024

Robert Jackman has narrated this article for you to listen to.

Does Elon Musk have a good eye for the aesthetic? Earlier this month, the Tesla magnate took a break from his incessant political posting to praise something he described as a ‘work of art’ – the Las Vegas Sphere. He then treated his 200 million Twitter followers to a video of an awed crowd, desperately angling their phones to capture the supposed majesty of the Sphere.

Admittedly, it was hardly the first time that the Sphere has gone viral on social media. Since its grand opening last autumn, this very modern monument has had a knack for conquering the internet, with videos of its optical illusions prompting both awe and disgust. Its occasional surreal turns (like when it turned into a giant cartoon emoji, side-eyeing the Las Vegas skyline) have made headlines in their own right.

The whole thing happened so quickly my brain didn’t quite know what to make of it

How impressive is the Sphere in reality? On a balmy September night in Las Vegas, I get my first unfiltered experience of the giant structure in person.

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