Sphere going bankrupt

"The Sphere in Las Vegas features a total of 1,586 permanently installed speakers and 300 mobile modules, amounting to approximately 167,000 speaker drivers."

What does one do with 150,000 + speaker drivers?

Something tells me the Wall of Sound re-creation guy is gonna have a great time at the Sphere bankruptcy auction.

Addendum -- Well I dug a little deeper. According to the most current financial stuff I read yesterday, the situation is still shaky, as the place keeps losing money and cannot service its considerable debt.  It's just not taking in as much as it owes. Moody's gives it an unfavorable rating. It is relying on Wizard of Oz movies to maintain. And It's gotta hurt if the Deadco revenue stream dries up. A new partnership with Delta is in the works, but that reeks of "stadium naming" desperation. 

Then there is the stock market angle, which is not too encouraging either. Hedge funds are involved and lots of "hope" and "potential" in the "21st century entertainment sector." I read two reports -- if you invested $1000 five years ago, you would only have $1139 today. Another older report said you would only have $860.  Either way, if you are looking for a good return you'd probably be better off selling drugs, instead.

From today's Wall St Journal: (I'm no financial genius, but I'm pretty sure red numbers are bad.)

Most relevant to me is the fact that they are putting a 6,000 seat Sphere in Maryland, partially funded by taxpayers/tax breaks, of course. Politicians are on board because of anticipated construction jobs and 4,000 pie-in-the-sky new jobs. Sure. The folks that bought in to real-estate developments along the tranquil Potomac are up in arms, be cause they didn't think they would have to look at a bright ball of digital billboard crap out their windows every night. What happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas. And there is already a nice music venue nearby. 

I for one don't need to spend $500 to see a Further cover band with a 60 ft  tall Fake Jerry.

> billionaires build Spheres than<

well that's the issue around here.... the taxpayers are probably going to be footing the bill for (out of town) wealthy corporate interests who are going to benefit. We can't even afford to rebuild a bridge or take care of the Chesapeake Bay. Our schools are in disrepair. Just so some jerk can see REO Speedwagon without flying to Vegas. 

I don't think you'll see many pictures of John Mayer on the Sphere: " ...also has a robust advertising business through its brand campaigns on the “exosphere,” or the globe that visitors to Las Vegas see just off the strip. The company says that NFL Sunday Ticket, PlayStation, Meta, Xbox and Coca-Cola have also signed on for campaigns."

A typical comment in the local news:

"More light pollution to shove more digital ads down the throats of the tourists and fuck over the night sky for natives. Just what we need plus I am sure electric bills and the grid won't be altered by this either. Thankfully the locals can enjoy it at a ridiculous fee to see inside a ball with fancy stage lights that mainly only get used for geriatric bands that only have one or 2 living members. Great idea. Not like people enjoy Maryland for the unique natural ecosystem right"

ummm it can be. Spheres suck... jump on board. 

It''s actually more of a Not In My Backyard thread. Waste of taxpayer dollars sort of thing. Hedge fund corporate ripoff vibe. Destruction of semi-rural landscape for the benefit of the few. Unwanted, unneeded over-development where infrastructure is already skimpy. Waste of electricity. Lying, thieving political sell-out. Etc.

You've got lot's to chose from.

If you are looking for rational discourse, I'm afraid you're stuck with the football thread.

^ Finally, someone who understands tongue-in-cheek sentiments.

I for one agree, ya gotta GTTS. I think the general consensus is that the mama Sphere is perfect for Vegas. However, can't we say ICE Detention Centers suck, even though we haven't been in one? Closed gas station in downtown Baltimore on a dark, cold night....sucks. Porta-Potty at the end of a 3 Day EMD fest in August.... sucks. Where does one draw the line? 

And just to be clear, the topic is cute little baby Sphere offsprings popping up like zits on a teenager. Unwanted, but alas, inevitable. Maybe they will build one in your neighborhood so you don't have to scamper so much for Phish tix. 

But please report back if they play Windy City > Summer of 89 > Jennifer Dances > Pigtail. 

Artist rendition. Looks like you might want to picnic there.

The existing casino is not Vegas style -- it looks more like a big Marriott. Traffic is such a mess already (think I95 meets Jersey Turnpike). There is a Ferris wheel on the pier. 

reality?

Thanks DZ but the truth is I went to a Bobby Bash for Balto Deadheads last Friday in a small bar (against my better judgment because I have a galley show opening this week) and caught the damn hippy flu. More of a head cold actually. Who knew one's nose could drip like Niagara Falls for 48 hours straight? Sucks (and I been there).

Anyway, I've had much too much time on my hands laying in bed reading. And I'm cranky there is no Ravens football to watch. So please excuse my excessive Zoning of late. 

(But ya got to admit, the back screen is getting pretty stale lately with only talk of death and birthdays and bad health. So sometimes I just throw some possibly interesting shit out there I've come across in the local news and such. Hopefully, someone out there who is also suffering thru winter doldrums will be entertained or likewise engage in banter. It's a tough crowd.)

While clutching the Kleenex box like a python gobbling a pesky raccoon, I did catch up on all the deadcast podcasts about Blues For Allah. They did a good job. Especially the piece on Sage and Spirit and the Great American Music Hall show. I love that place.

Unfortunately Covid sorta killed the ZOTY ceremonies, and Trump will probably steal the trophy anyway. Let's see what December brings.

^ I was not implying Niagara Falls sucks, just that bad head colds suck. 

But come to think of it -- they should build one of these puppies next to Niagara Falls, instead. Wash DC has enough cool shit to experience already. Who wants to sit in a movie theater when you can go to the Smithsonian? 

 It's a struggling town like Niagra Falls that needs the tourism and jobs. And they could build a little hydro plant turbine to power a Sphere all day long! Let the Canadians deal with the light pollution. 

^ Hall, glad to see you have your sense of retort in these shady times. Good Zoning. 

But just in case you are pouting (very doubtful): If you've been checking out the NFL thread for year after year and if you don't like what you see (very doubtful) -- skip it. See the connection is, I'm a Ravens cheer-leader (i.e., an avid fan), so that's what's in the thread as illustrations --- Ravens cheerleaders. Happy cheerleaders when they win. Sad cheerleaders when they don't. Pretty simple. Pictures help you skim a thread when you are on the shitter. (And let's see you touch your toes when you are tossed 30 feet in the air. Pretty remarkable if you ask me.)

And, just for the record, I'm way too happily married to my hot (young-er) wife to want to land anyone else. She's very cool, can easily touch her toes, AND loves the Sphere. You should be so lucky when you get to be my age. Seriously. But I promise to report if the situation changes.

Finally, more to your point, of course I can rag on a show by just looking at a set list. I'm an old Deadhead. It's what we do. For years and years we could only read about shows -- waaaaay before we got to hear them. We critiqued them. We critiqued shows we heard on tape. We critiqued shows we never went to. We critiqued shows we went to. We specialized in critiquing AND loving shows at the same time. What else were supposed to do while sitting around with our friends for hours and hours recording multiple 90 minute cassettes, smoking and shooting the shit? Talk about cheerleaders? Of course we all had the experience of "it was a great show, but ya had to be there, though."  But you know all this.

sigh....Phish Sphere fans. Merry XMas.

^ hhhhhmmmm....if that old guy with white hair and a white beard can.....(oh, never mind).....