Immersive tech reshapes music and film landscape with Bono, Metallica
and 'Matrix' taking the leap
[June 04, 2025]
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — With a mic in hand, Bono belts out “Vertigo,”
close enough to reach out and touch, as if you’re sharing the stage with
him at the Beacon Theatre in New York.
As he performs, the front row seat experience becomes deeply personal,
with the U2 frontman seemingly locking eyes with you before the camera
swings to his side to reveal the crowd, pumping their fists in
excitement. The song’s lyrics leap from beneath Bono’s feet through 3D
animation, gathering around him while hovering over the crowd.
This isn’t your typical concert. It's an all-access pass into Bono's
performance and documentary film “Bono: Stories of Surrender," which
premiered last week on Apple TV+ and gained new life through the Apple
Vision Pro. The device places viewers right onstage with Bono,
delivering it all in 8K with spatial audio for a fully immersive
180-degree video.
“There's a kind of intimacy afforded to us,” said Bono, who added that
immersive technologies tap into viewers senses and emotions more deeply
than traditional media. “It's not just being in the room. You can be in
your head.”
These days, experiences like Bono's concert film have become the next
frontier of music, film and live performances. Headset devices like the
Vision Pro and Meta's Quest 3, alongside next-gen venues such as the
Sphere and Cosm, are making these experiences borderless, turning every
seat into the best one in the house.
Some of music’s biggest names — including U2, Metallica, Megan Thee
Stallion, Alicia Keys, T-Pain, Phish and The Weeknd — have had projects
featured on these platforms. Even the iconic film “The Matrix” has been
reintroduced in this immersive space.
“This is the future. These experiences enhance the connection,” said
Robert Trujillo, guitarist for Metallica, whose powerhouse Mexico City
performance was delivered in an immersive concert experience through the
Vision Pro in March. After watching their show on the device, he was in
awe.
“It almost felt like you could touch the crowd and us,” he said. “It was
really incredible. The sound is amazing. The dynamic ranges from the
ambient noises and the crowd. It’s a special experience.”
How music greats view future of immersion tech for industry
Bono has long embraced innovation and technology to forge a connection
with U2's audience. The band's 2014 album “Songs of Innocence" was added
to every Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. In 2023, the foursome became the
first band to perform at the Sphere, launching a successful residency at
the $2.3 billion, 366-foot-tall Las Vegas venue that illuminates the
city's skyline.
U2 guitarist The Edge felt the Sphere was a “quantum leap forward” in
terms of the sensory impacts of a live concert.
Now, with “Stories of Surrender,” Bono goes solo, reflecting on his life
from childhood and family to his career as a rock star and activist.
It’s the first feature film shot in Apple Immersive Video, bringing the
artwork from his book “Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story” to life with 3D
animation.
Bono even used the Apple Pencil Pro to create images featured in the
film. He believes the immersive technology can connect with audiences on
a profound level and hopes the $3,500 Vision Pro will eventually become
more affordable.
“All of this is impressive,” he said. “I think about the film, when I'm
singing about my mother, and (my mother's name) Iris start to appear. I
was completely taken aback, even though I'd drawn the Iris. There are
other moments when I see my father in the chair beside me as a drawing
partially by me.”
Bono added: “Then I thought, ‘We might be getting beyond technology here
into some kind of magic. Not just a magic trick like ’Hey, presto.' But
more alchemy, more of ‘What did I just feel?’"
Trujillo, who typically avoids watching replays of his performances,
found himself drawn in by the immersive experience of their show, which
included interviews and close-ups of fans. He said the technology
amplifies the energy of a live performance at a time when that
excitement can feel diminished.
“For a lot of bands, especially in the hard rock genre, it felt like it
was disappearing,” he said. "To me, this really brings it back and
relevant again. It shows you the strength in the performance and the
emotional attachment to the fans.”
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Immersive visuals surround a scene from the film "The Matrix" during
a press preview for "The Matrix in Shared Reality" on Wednesday, May
28, 2025, at Cosm Los Angeles in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris
Pizzello)
 How immersive venues are making
their mark
While virtual reality headsets offer a personal window into
performances, venues like the Sphere and Cosm are expanding these
experiences to entire crowds.
In their own way, both are redefining the possibilities of live
performances and shared experiences.
“It's virtual reality without the glasses,” said Baz Halpin, the CEO
and founder of Silent House Group, who produced and designed the
Eagles' residency at the 17,500-seat Sphere.
Halpin said Silent House will also be involved in the Backstreet
Boys upcoming Sphere residency, kicking off in July.
“You can create optical illusions that I didn't think were frankly
possible,” Halpin said. “It's such a big swing. It's such a bold
idea. It's still that concert experience, but somehow the visuals
have turned into a rollercoaster and movie, and you're apart of it."
Shared reality through "The Matrix"
While the Sphere looms large over Las Vegas, Cosm offers a more
intimate experience, featuring a new venture into Keanu Reeves'
iconic world as Neo.
Cosm is stepping into “The Matrix” with a shared reality cinematic
experience, celebrating the film's 25th anniversary with screenings
at their locations in Dallas and Inglewood, California, starting
June 6.
Inside Cosm's 87-foot LED dome, the original film plays while the
environment dynamically mirrors the on-screen action, pulling
audiences deeper into the world.
“We are continuing to push the immersive tech industry forward,”
said Jeb Terry, the CEO and president at Cosm, which also hosts live
sports, “O” by Cirque du Soleil, “Orbital” and “Big Wave: No Room
for Error." The company plans to open its third location in Atlanta
in 2026.
With “The Matrix,” Cosm believes the shared reality experience will
pave the way for showcasing more classic films, complementing the
traditional movie theater experience.
“We’re really commemorating some of these legendary amazing films,”
said Alexis Scalice, Cosm's vice president of business development
and entertainment. “We’re keeping that interactive and exciting
approach to it.”
What's next for Sphere?
The vision for a second Sphere location will come to fruition in the
United Arab Emirates. In collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department
of Culture and Tourism, the new venue will replicate the
cutting-edge technology and scale of the Las Vegas version.
The Abu Dhabi Sphere is part of a broader plan to establish
additional Spheres globally and domestically, alongside smaller U.S.
venues with seating capacities of 3,000 to 6,000.
“We are advancing our vision of this global network,” said Jennifer
Koester, the president and COO at Sphere. She said the smaller
Spheres will make the concept more deployable across different
markets.
As construction of the Abu Dhabi location progresses, the Las Vegas
Sphere is preparing to bring a timeless classic to life. In late
August, the original “The Wizard of Oz” is set to premiere at the
venue.
Koester said AI models were trained on original scene drawings, set
designs and materials sourced from the Academy Museum to fully fill
the Sphere’s massive screen. She said that evolving the technology
is key to staying ahead.
“In the industry, we’re seeing a lot of people talk about bringing
forward experiences that are more immersive,” she said. “People are
looking for it, and people are expecting it. The bar is going to
continue to get higher and higher.”
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