Sphere’s first country music residency revealed

American singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney will become the first country music artist to headline the Sphere in Las Vegas after announcing a 12-show residency for later this year.

The 56-year-old will grace the next-generation venue on 22, 24, 25, 28, 30 & 31 May, plus 4, 6, 7, 11, 13 & 14 June, complete with video content shot on a special camera developed specifically for Sphere’s configuration.

“When we started talking about all of the possibilities playing Sphere offered, I was all in,” says the Tennessee-born star. “Just the idea of 4D technology and the impossibly dialled in sound raises the experience for No Shoes Nation, literally immersing them in music, visuals, sound and being together. To me, this is going to be a whole new way of rocking the fans, and I can’t wait.”

Chesney, who is a stadium-level artist in the US, will join a select group of artists – U2, Dead & Company, Eagles, Phish and Afterlife Presents Anyma – in headlining the 17,600-seat Sphere, which launched in September 2023.

“Knowing how much intensity our shows generate, my mind started thinking about all the things we could do”

“When we started talking, I flew to Vegas with my key tour team,” adds Chesney. “We stood on the floor as they ran the film of U2’s show and we were completely consumed. We could see the band, but it was so much more than that. It almost took what they were doing and multiplied it by another dimension.

“Knowing how much intensity our shows generate, my mind started thinking about all the things we could do. Once you see how the show wraps all the way around you, the dreaming begins.”

Meanwhile, music agent Lance Roberts has joined WME as a partner in the company’s country music division, bringing a roster including Chris Janson, Craig Morgan, Easton Corbin and Sammy Kershaw. The 30-year veteran has made the switch following a decade-long stint at UTA, and will be based in WME’s Nashville office.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to join the amazing team at WME,” says Roberts. “They have been extremely supportive of this next chapter in my career, and I am looking forward to working with the most talented agents in our industry.”

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