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Eventually, everyone plays Vegas. It’s been a long tradition going back to the Rat Pack days of Sinatra, Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. that musical stars will always find their way to Las Vegas. In the old days, superstar singers set up residency in many of the famed Las Vegas hotels, like the Flamingo, the Sands, Caesars Palace, and many more. The 1970s brought in artists like Elvis Presley, Wayne Newton, and Paul Anka. Now, in modern times, Las Vegas has blossomed with scores of new hotels hosting giant concert halls where modern acts like Britney Spears, Cher, and more would spend months performing. The opening of Sphere in 2023 took musical residency to a new level.
The first act to begin a musical residency at Sphere was U2, who performed 40 sold-out shows from September 29, 2023, to March 2, 2024. Phish followed with four sold-out concerts from April 18 through April 21, 2024. Dead & Company then expanded its 2024 Sphere residency to 30 shows before returning for another 18-show run in 2025.
The Sphere would soon welcome the Eagles. When this article was first published in 2024, reports had surfaced that the Eagles would be extending their farewell tour to play Las Vegas for an extended period at Sphere. That report proved correct. On June 13, 2024, the Eagles officially announced an initial eight-show residency beginning September 20, 2024. Demand kept extending the run far beyond those first dates. By July 2026, Eagles – Live in Concert at Sphere had grown to 68 shows in total, making it the longest-running residency at the venue. As of August 13, 2026, additional Eagles shows are scheduled for September 18 and 19; November 13, 14, 27, and 28; and December 4, 5, 11, and 12. Who would have thought that the band that composed the song “The Last Resort” would sign a deal to play Sin City?
The Madison Square Garden Company introduced The Sphere in 2018 under the initial moniker MSG Sphere, and it presents a futuristic approach to live events. The Las Vegas venue officially opened on September 29, 2023.
This dome-like coliseum is a testament to modern technological advancements. Sphere’s main bowl contains 17,385 seats and a 160,000-square-foot interior LED display plane with 16K x 16K resolution that wraps around the audience. It also features Sphere Immersive Sound, powered by HOLOPLOT, along with haptic seating and other multi-sensory effects that can transform a concert into something far beyond the standard arena experience.
Standing 366 feet tall and stretching 516 feet in width, Sphere’s exterior is equally mesmerizing, draped in 580,000 square feet of programmable LED lighting known as the Exosphere. This architectural and technological wonder cost approximately $2.3 billion to construct, redefining luxury and entertainment in the heart of Las Vegas and marking a new era for performance venues and bands from the 1970s.
Updated August 13, 2026.
Eagles Go Vegas Joining Long Line Of Artists To Play Sin City article published on ClassicRockHistory.com © 2026
