Eagles: Latest on Sphere Residency Rumors

The Eagles performing a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere is looking more and more like a reality, if the latest rumors are to be believed.

According to The New York Post, their sources say the Eagles have booked a residency that will stretch over 10 weekends from September through December. The exact number of shows is currently unknown. However, the residency is expected to follow the end of their "The Long Goodbye" farewell tour.

Reports of an Eagles Sphere residency initially surfaced last month. At that time, the band was in talks about playing the Sphere, but a deal was not finalized. It is still not confirmed that a deal has been finalized.

The legendary band recently wrapped their latest batch of farewell tour dates on March 16 in Charlotte. When the farewell tour was first announced, the Eagles noted they would be rolling out dates and venues once they are confirmed. The next farewell tour dates have the band performing four shows at the Co-Op Live in Manchester, UK beginning on May 31. This will be followed by two shows on June 13 and 15 at the GelreDome in Arnhem, Netherlands.

Before heading overseas, the next show the Eagles will perform is on April 11 when they take to the stage at the Hollywood Bowl for "Keep The Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett." Other artists booked for the tribute show include Paul McCartney, Jon Bon Jovi, Zac Brown, Jackson Browne, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow and more.

When the Eagles began their "Long Goodbye" farewell tour on September 7, 2023, it was nearly a week after Buffett's death at age 76 from skin cancer.

The Eagles took a moment during their show to honor their friend by performing two of his songs: "Come Monday" and "Fins."

As previously reported, Don Henley said during the show, "Jimmy Buffett is now sailing on that cosmic ocean, having that cheeseburger with Glenn [Frey] and Randy [Meisner]. We always like to laugh and say we survived the '70s together." Joe Walsh then added, "Jimmy and I got thrown out of some of the finest hotels in the world."

Buffett famously inducted the Eagles into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. He recalled his interactions with the Eagles over the years. Buffett often was an opening act for the band on various bills and tours. He made a point to recognize the Eagles for always treating him with respect, even though he was often their opener.

"I was the apprentice in the workshop, and I was glad to be there," said Buffett. " ... It was the little things I was privileged to witness backstage that helped me survive and become a better performer."

Sphere in Las Vegas is one of the coolest venues to open in decades. There truly hasn't been anything like it, especially when it comes to its many visual aspects.

To begin with, its sheer presence as a building just off the Vegas Strip is awe-inspiring. Your eyes are just drawn to it, regardless of what it projected on its external surface. Sphere's website notes the "Exosphere" features 580,000 sq feet of LEDs that are so bright they can be seen from space.

Its interior is also magical, and we don't just mean its spatial audio system. Sphere's website states, "Events at Sphere are immersive experiences that, depending on the event, may include elements such as seat haptics, movement sensations, flashing lights, intense lighting, visual effects, loud noises, and atmospheric simulations including fog, scent and wind."

In other words: There are seemingly few limits to what can be done with Sphere's remarkable technology.

After breaking ground in Sept. 2018, Sphere opened in Sept. 2023. U2, of course, was the first artist to perform a residency at the new Vegas venue, which cost $2.3 billion to build. In December 2023, The Hollywood Reporter noted the 17 shows U2 performed through Nov. 30 generated $30.7 million in revenue, which is an average of $1.8 million per show.

Additionally, Sphere has screened Darren Aronofsky's film Postcards From Earth. Through Nov. 30, the state-of-the-art venue has hosted 111 screenings of the film, which has resulted in $44.5 million in revenue. This averages to $400,000 per screening. Altogether, these two attractions have generated over $75 million in revenue for the new venue.

After U2 wraps their residency on March 2, Phish will be the next band to perform at The Sphere. Their show dates are currently April 18-21. After Phish, Dead & Company's "Dead Forever" residency will begin on May 16.

This all has us asking ourselves a very important question: Who should be next to occupy Sphere? After some thought, we think these five rock acts would make very interesting use of the unique space.

Gilmour doesn't perform much anymore, so having him do a Sphere residency would be really special. He undoubtedly has enough of a catalog to warrant such a grand venue. Also, you just know he could really bring an impressive visual experience, too. A Gilmour Sphere residency would continue to make the venue the most in-demand attraction in Vegas.

Let's just say it: Maynard James Keenan is a f---ing weirdo. (Yes, we do mean that in a positive way.) It would be fascinating to see how he would play to such a larger-than-life venue. As far as visuals go, their existing music videos could be projected on the massive screens, and it would be outstanding! The video for "Vicarious" alone would be trippy AF. Of course, Tool would likely create original visuals for the performance just because they could.

How do you make a larger-than-life rock figure even larger? Have them take on Sphere! If anyone could do it, it's obviously Sir Paul. Like with Gilmour, there's an ample catalog to play with. Plus, he'd be able to sell out countless nights at the venue. Nothing but wins all around for this one!

Giving Trent Reznor the kind of visual freedom Sphere could offer would be interesting, to say the least. It would just be fascinating to see what he would do with all of the technology. He would surely come up with a concept literally only he could dream up. Let's hope a NIN residency will eventually become a reality.

Remember how we noted Sphere is capable of "atmospheric simulations including fog, scent and wind"? Just imagine how Slipknot would utilize scent in a venue. Sure, there's a good chance it would be gross, but it's not like you'd want some earthy patchouli incense at a Slipknot show. Plus, their visuals are overwhelming at their shows already. Just think of what they would do with those screens!