Five songs into the night, the main screens turns off for “One.” “The fans light up the arena with their phones just naturally,” says Stewart. “It’s the new lighter thing. And I tried to include photos of the crowd that really captures what it’s like to be at a U2 show.”
The concerts had a ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ feel since many fans came dressed up as U2 characters. In this photo, a young boy dressed as The Fly stands near an older fan in a full MacPhisto getup. “I saw many kids with Clay Calloway signs,” says Stewart. “That’s Bono’s character from Sing 2. And a lot of people just got into the dance party vibe of the shows. They became costume parties.”
Due to Larry Mullen Jr.’s back injury, U2 were forced to play without him for the first time in over 40 years. Dutch drummer Bram van den Berg took his place. “He’s such a humble guy,” says Stewart. “He was happy to support the band in place of Larry. He was so respectful to Larry’s style even though he brought his own thing.”
Stewart snapped this photo on closing night at the end of “With or Without You.” “I jumped up onstage to capture this historic moment of these 40 shows ending,” he says. “But I didn’t realize how hot it was onstage with the stage light up from below. And when you get there, you realize how steep the stage is. It really gives you a different perspective.”
Stewart snuck his way into the front of the pit to take this photo during “The Fly” on the opening night of the residency. The words and images on the screen are straight out of the band’s 1992/93 Zoo TV tour. “Everyone was freaking out,” he says. “This was their first impression of the Sphere in action.”
The Venetian Resort set up a pop-up exhibit of ‘Achtung Baby’-related artifacts for U2 fans to visit. It was curated by the band’s longtime creative director Gavin Friday. “The band made their way over there a few times,” says Stewart. “They managed to interact with some fans. This section really looks like an actual German train station.”
The only new song U2 performed during their entire time in Las Vegas was “Atomic City.” It’s a tribute to the town itself. Stewart took this photo from one of the upper sections while they played it. “Everywhere you go you have a different perspective on the show,” he says. “On the floor, it’s a club atmosphere and you focus on the band. When you go up further, you notice different details on the screens.”
During “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” the screens displayed a wild collage of Las Vegas images assembled by artist Marco Brambilla. There’s a special emphasis on Elvis Presley (or at least Elvis impersonators) who Bono references many times throughout the show. “I feel like Bono and Elvis would have gotten along,” says Stewart. “This photo is layering an icon on top of an even bigger icon.”
Artist Es Devlin created the “Nevada Ark” sequence during “With or Without You” where the screens fill with images of endangered species native to Nevada. They are sepia-toned at first, but slowly become colorized during “Beautiful Day.” “I like this perspective,” says Stewart. “I think it comes from the final two nights. As everyone walks out, it hangs there as a final image for people to ponder. It’s quite remarkable.”
After seeing the show 38 times, it’s easy for Stewart to pinpoint the exact moment he took this photo. “This is ‘Elevation,'” says Stewart. “I can tell by the jacket Bono is wearing. He’s looking pretty cool. His wardrobe is all done by Sharon Blankson. They’ve been friends for many years. She’s done wardrobes for him since ‘Achtung Baby.'”
Stewart maneuvered his way up to the front of the stage for this shot of Bono during “Vertigo.” “This is the moment where he sings ‘Your love is teaching me how to kneel,'” he says. “It’s a cool moment. And this is the perspective of someone in the front row of the concert.”
The first 39 shows of the residency ended with “Beautiful Day.” On the last night, right before they played it, Stewart came onstage and took this image of the band standing in front of the audience. When it was done, they shocked fans by breaking out their 1983 classic “40,” which traditionally closed shows in the Eighties. “It was the perfect song,” says Stewart. “The crowd just kept singing it for so long afterwards.”