Friday, June 21, 2024 | 2 a.m.
The Sphere is ready to celebrate the one-year anniversary of its outer shell, the Exosphere, with the same level of extravagance and creativity that people have come to expect from the Las Vegas entertainment venue since its debut less than a year ago.
The Exosphere, the largest LED screen in the world, has gone viral in its first year for shifting into the shape of a soccer ball, the moon and much, much more. And, on its birthday July 4, the Exosphere will unveil an all-new content and audio experience: the “Sphere Fourth of July Celebration,” Sphere Entertainment announced Thursday.
“Sphere has become a global landmark that has redefined the live experience, including the Exosphere, a captivating platform for storytelling since it first illuminated last Fourth of July,” Jim Dolan, executive chairman and CEO of Sphere Entertainment, said in a release.
The Sphere Fourth of July Celebration will incorporate the launch of two new features of the Exosphere, including XO Stream — an official livestream of the display available at all times on both the Sphere website and YouTube — and XO Audio, custom audio synced to the Exosphere’s content, audible both at the venue and through the livestream.
“We’ve only scratched the surface of what Sphere is capable of both creatively and technologically,” Dolan said in a statement. “Now, with the addition of ‘XO Audio’ and ‘XO Stream,’ we are building on our commitment to immersive experiences that create a deeper multisensory connection — one that can be shared across the Las Vegas community and around the world.”
The celebration will honor America in six acts, in what Thursday’s release described as a “tribute to art, science and wonder, and how that unites us all.” Content by Sphere Studios will highlight America’s “entrepreneurial and innovative spirit,” exemplified by the Sphere, the release reads.
The show will include a celebration of the venue’s architecture and how it adds to Las Vegas’ iconic skyline, a focus on the “Stars & Stripes,” the history of Nevada and the Wild West, and a montage of the Exosphere’s “most captivating” content from the last year.
The Sphere will at one point turn “inside out,” and laud the inside of the venue as a “temple to the arts,” according to the release. A digital fireworks celebration on the Exosphere will bring the celebration, which will run twice on July 4 — at 9:30 p.m. and 11:40 p.m. — to an end.
The “XO Stream” will kick off with the first show at 9:30 p.m., per the release. “XO Audio” will begin with the Fourth of July Celebration, and boast sound curated by Sphere Studios, synced to the movement of imagery on the Exosphere.
“This Fourth of July we are celebrating the Exosphere and all the ways it amazes and connects with audiences around the world, building on its impact and reach,” said Jennifer Koester, president and chief operating officer of the Sphere. “With the launch of both ‘XO Audio’ and ‘XO Stream’ as part of the Exosphere experience, brands and artists can create an even more immersive experience both live and across social media.”
A preshow ceremony on July 4 will recognize the eight Las Vegas students who won the Sphere XO Student Design Challenge, a first-of-its-kind contest in which locals ranging from elementary to college age submitted art they created for the chance for it to be displayed on the Exosphere.
The winning art will debut on the Exosphere on the Fourth of July, before running continually throughout the summer.
Officials have previously said that the design challenge — the first-ever opportunity for members of the general public to design content for the Exosphere — would award winners at elementary and middle schools a $10,000 donation to their school’s art program, and tickets for every student to attend the Sphere Experience.
High school and UNLV students who win will receive a $10,000 educational scholarship.
“The intersection of art and technology is a consistent throughline in our curriculum and a crucial priority for students pursuing careers in these rapidly evolving industries,” said Nancy Uscher, dean of UNLV’s College of Fine Arts, in a statement regarding the contest’s announcement in March. “Sphere serves as a real-world example of innovation in art, and we’re thrilled that our student body has the chance to become active participants in this cultural achievement.”
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