U2 - U2:UV Achtung Baby residency keeps Las Vegas alive

U2 return to the Sphere in Las Vegas with their U2:UV Achtung Baby shows, extending one of the most talked-about rock residencies and underlining their status as a major live draw for U.S. audiences.

By the AD HOC NEWS Music Desk » Album & Work - the editorial team covers albums, tours, charts and scene developments. Published: July 1, 2026 · Last reviewed: July 1, 2026 at 12:10 pm

U2 keep their U.S. live momentum going at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The band’s U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere residency, which began in September 2023, has turned the Irish rock veterans into one of the defining live stories on the Strip.

U2 at the Las Vegas Sphere

U2 opened the Sphere in Las Vegas with U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere, a residency built around their 1991 album Achtung Baby, mixing deep cuts with classics like One and Mysterious Ways.

The shows use an immense 16K wraparound LED screen and spatial audio, placing the band inside immersive visuals that have been widely described as unlike any previous rock production.

How the residency is structured

The residency has been staged in multiple blocks of dates, allowing U2 to keep the production anchored in Las Vegas while fans travel in from across the U.S. and abroad.

Each night the band performs a full-electric set with Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Bram van den Berg on drums, honoring Larry Mullen Jr.’s parts while he recovers from surgery.

The sound of Achtung Baby live

On stage, U2 lean heavily on Achtung Baby’s darker, more experimental songs, from Zoo Station to The Fly, framing them with later anthems like Beautiful Day and Where the Streets Have No Name.

The mix of industrial-tinged guitar, electronic textures and classic stadium rock hooks underlines how the band reinvented itself in the early 1990s and how those songs still carry in a 21st-century arena.

Where U2 stand now

Against this backdrop, U2 currently maintain their live presence through the Las Vegas Sphere residency, with no new studio album officially announced and Larry Mullen Jr. still away from the stage.

U2 at a glance

• Act: U2
• Genre: Rock / pop rock
• Origin: Dublin, Ireland
• Active since: 1976
• Lineup: Bono (vocals), The Edge (guitar, keyboards), Adam Clayton (bass), Larry Mullen Jr. (drums; live shows currently with Bram van den Berg)
• Label: Island Records / Interscope
• Key works: The Joshua Tree (1987), Achtung Baby (1991), All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000), Songs of Experience (2017)
• Current album/single: Songs of Surrender, released March 17, 2023
• Charts / certifications: The Joshua Tree No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in June 1987; multiple RIAA Platinum and Diamond certifications across catalog
• Next live date: Ongoing U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere residency in Las Vegas, Nevada at Sphere

Frequently asked questions about U2

What is U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere?
It is U2’s immersive residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, centered on their 1991 album Achtung Baby, using large-scale visuals and advanced audio to reframe their catalog for a modern arena audience.

Who plays drums with U2 at the Sphere shows?
Due to Larry Mullen Jr.’s recovery from surgery, Dutch drummer Bram van den Berg performs the drum parts at the U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere concerts, while Mullen remains a core member of the band.

Which classic songs feature in the Sphere setlist?
The residency set typically includes Zoo Station, One, Mysterious Ways, Beautiful Day and Where the Streets Have No Name, combining Achtung Baby-era material with signature U2 stadium anthems.

This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed. All information without guarantee; dates, chart positions and certifications may change at short notice.