"It's the most people I’ve ever been ignored by when I’m playing": Eagles guitarist Vince Gill on performing at Sphere in Las Vegas

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By ( Classic Rock ) published

Sphere in Las Vegas may have revolutionised live entertainment, but it turns out the audience is staring at the ceiling

Eagles onstage at Sphere in Las Vegas
(Image credit: Chloe Weir/Eagles)

Sphere, the 20,000-capacity globe-shaped venue in Las Vegas, may have exploded the boundaries of what's possible at a live show, but it turns out that musicians might not be getting as much feedback from the audience as they're used to.

In an interview with American Songwriter, Eagles guitarist Vince Gill, who joined the band in 2017 following the death of co-founder Glenn Frey, talks about what it's like to play at the venue, and it seems as though the audience are distracted by the technology on show.

"It’s staggeringly massive," says Gill. "I was getting kind of where I felt like I was going to fall over because things are tilted, and you think you’re moving, but you’re not. It’s a trip. It’s the most people I’ve ever been ignored by when I’m playing. You’re playing, and they’re all staring at all the stuff on the ceiling. They’re not paying any attention to you. It’s kind of fun, really."

Gill goes on to say that the experience of being ignored by the audience doesn't bother him.

“The whole point of that show and that building is the visual side of it,” he says. “I never wanted to see anybody running around on the stage and yelling at me and being aerobic and bombs going off and pyro and whatever. And it’s a great show."

Last month, Eagles announced four more shows at Sphere, extending their run into March next year. The band have now scheduled a total of 28 dates at the venue. The remaining dates are listed below, and tickets are on sale now.

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Eagles: Live at Sphere, Las Vegas

Friday, December 6
Saturday, December 7
Friday, December 13
Saturday, December 14
Friday, January 17
Saturday, January 18
Friday, January 24
Saturday, January 25
Friday, February 14
Saturday, February 15
Friday, February 21
Saturday, February 22
Friday, March 7, 2025
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Friday, March 14, 2025
Saturday, March 15, 2025

Fraser Lewry
Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.