2024-04-18 - Sphere Las Vegas, NV - Post-Show Discussion and Review

[anthrax]

THURSDAY 04/18/2024
SPHERE
Las Vegas, NV
SET 1: Everything's Right, Back on the Train, Wolfman's Brother, Maze, Leaves, Life Saving Gun, Dirt, Carini

SET 2: Sand > Tweezer -> My Friend, My Friend > Mike's Song > Lifeboy, Weekapaug Groove, Blaze On > Fluffhead

ENCORE: Farmhouse[1], Run Like an Antelope

[1] Began and ended with Trey on acoustic guitar.

The band took the stage while the pre-show electronic music continued. During Back on the Train, psychedelic images of passing countryside were displayed behind and above the band, rotating in opposite directions in different sections of the dome. During Maze, psychedelic live images of each band member appeared, stacked on top of each other. These images then fragmented and spread out, dancing and turning throughout the jam. During Leaves, several giant paper lanterns appeared, flanking the stage, while the dome showed a multitude of paper lanterns floating over water, with the moon shining above. During Life Saving Gun, the dome displayed stacks of old-style televisions with rabbit ears, with each television showing a live shot of one of the band members. These TVs moved and rotated as the jam progressed. After the song, Trey said that he "loves any song with a Jon Fishman percussion rinse," and told the crowd they should see the Sphere from the stage. During Dirt, the dome showed a forest view, looking upwards through trees at a purple-hued sky. During Tweezer, a field of multi-colored cars appeared behind the band, changing in size and shape and with their headlights blinking on and off in patterns, while other cars drove past overhead. My Friend, My Friend included live spotlight silhouettes of the band members projected across the entire dome. The projections during Mike's Song made it seem as if the venue was outdoors, with the band playing in front of a body of water with a rotating sculpture on the far shore. During Lifeboy, the sun went down and a number of other rotating sculptures lit up in the sky, creating a golden star-scape. The sun then rose again during Weekapaug. Farmhouse began and ended with Trey on acoustic guitar, as well as images of a farmhouse in a field under a night sky filled with stars and aurorae.

[mistercharlie]

Frikin' phenomenal! Can't imagine what it was like to be there tis weekend. Super jelly over here.

[WhatstheUse?]

Hard to believe I'm back on my couch already watching the stream tonight. It's been a wild 24 hours. The sphere is f'n crazy. Quite literally the most visually psychedelic experience I've ever had.

I think a lot of things worked and others didn't. It's a work in progress and will only continue to be improved upon. What you can't really grasp from the stream is the MASSIVENESS of the Sphere. It felt as if it extended up into infinity. Another surprise was the audio. It was a truly surround sound experience which they took full advantage of, again, sometimes it worked, other times not.

For me, Lifeboy really hit hard. Whatever that imagery was and that central figure ("God"?) was incredibly cathartic for me. I wept like a baby. The colors, the music, the lyrics, it was just so damn beautiful. Loved Sand visuals. Loooovvved Farmhouse, again... in tears.

What didn't exactly vibe with me is that the imagery was locked into each song. They started Tweezer, and apparently Tweezer = cars. Whatever I guess... but it was just so odd to be locked into that same imagery for the entirety of the jam no matter where the music went. It also felt a little weird to be "forced" to view/experience a song in a certain way.  The surround sound swirling of the music seemed a bit arbitrary at times... all of a sudden Trey would disappear and then re-appear behind you.... it almost took away from the cohesive sound of the music. Also... just kind of weird to have so many other people involved in making decsions regarding a Phish performance rather than just the 4 of them.  Yeah, thats always the case with a sound engineer and CK5 involved but this was next level. Like, Trey didn't control when or where his guitar was panned in the room.

Anyways, I'm rambling. I give the Sphere 2 thumbs up. Will be back. 

[cleech74]

Frikin' phenomenal! Can't imagine what it was like to be there tis weekend. Super jelly over here.

Seriously! That was fun just reading thru what the visual "set list" entailed. I have to admit, after tuning in on yt to see Carini, I thought it might've had more, for lack of a better word, punch to it. I purposely didn't read any of the live chat, but did read a few comments soon after Carini ended. Since it was just tbe first song, I figured it would probably build from there. Well, it certainly did, and that list is proof of the goods. Looking forward to seeing more of it, and also what treatment the crowd will get for tonight's 4:20 show. Jealous of anyone who's there, but happy they're playing their part in this inaugural run, and having quite an amazing experience.

[cactusfan]

Not sure how the difference between nights felt in the room, but streaming here at home last night's show totally blew away thursday's. Thursdays visuals felt pretty weak and screen-saverish to me at home. A few stood out for sure, but the rest left me shrugging--while of course knowing that if they were towering over me 100 feet high they'd have more impact.

But last night, damn! Right off the bat with Free, the visuals for every song crushed the first night, with maybe the exception of Gin's visuals, which didn't do much for me. And the YEM dog was hilarious. Excited to see what happens next.