Since 1978, TAIT has been turning crazy ideas into reality. It is not surprising then, that TAIT was involved in one of the biggest live entertainment projects of the past several years, the U2 residency at Sphere Las Vegas.
TAIT first joined the U2 creative team in February 2023, providing expertise as initial concepts were discussed and for the build.
Project manager Erick Fields shared the scope of the project. "We provided a few elements for the show; TAIT was a part of the video main stage build and underworld, and worked with the video company, Fuse, that provided the product that integrated with the TAIT stage. The underworld is the area under the stage. We built a custom raked frame for our video decks to expand the useable space underneath the stage for the back line teams. Along with the main stage, we also provided the winch the pulls approximately 180’ silk swing to the top of Sphere."
The nontraditional space provided some challenges, but as Fields says, "There are always going to be challenges with creating a show in a brand new space, especially as this is a state-of-the-art performance venue." However, TAIT's background engineering dreams into functional structures for themed entertainment, live events, and some of the biggest performers of the age, including many years with U2, has made the team accustomed to managing work in a variety of venues.
"Luckily with our team’s overall involvement with Sphere we had a good idea of what we needed to accommodate," Field says. "As with most shows, the design process is quite organic, and we worked very closely with the creative team through the creation of the show. The design went through several creative iterations as the project came to life. With it being such a unique venue, the team really wanted to create a unique stage design while also leaning on the strengths of Sphere as the video wall is such an important aspect of the space.
"We were ecstatic to continue the 30+ year relationship with U2 and their entire creative and production teams. They have always pushed the boundaries of what is possible, and we are thankful to have been a part of such a historic moment in the entertainment space."
TAIT Crew List
- Project Design: Henry Drago
- Project Management: Erick Fields
- Mechanical Integration: Chris Herr & Chris Delizza
- Control Integration: Brett Smith
- Rigging & Building: Stephan Wood
- TAIT Crew (Automation Operator): Joel Grover
- Automation Tech: Archie Chan