By Chris Willman
Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic
U2 found what they were looking for in a duet partner Wednesday night at Sphere in Las Vegas, as Lady Gaga joined the group for duets on one of her songs, “Shallow,” and two of theirs, “All I Want Is You” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”
Bono introduced his fellow leather-jacketed guest as “the most audacious, vivacious woman in any room she’s ever in. Would you welcome to our turntable, the divine — the divinyl! — Lady Gaga.”
He wasn’t done praising her divinity. “Take it to the Elvis chapel!” exulted Bono in a breakdown in the middle of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” — further telling his duet partner, “You are the vestal virgin of Las Vegas!”
U2 & Lady Gaga – I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Live at Sphere Las Vegas) pic.twitter.com/D7K6qJclkX
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” ended with a snippet of Massive Attack’s “Movie’ On Up,” as it sometimes has during U2’s Sphere engagement so far, with Gaga joining in on wailing that song as well.
Their joint take on “All I Want Is You” segued without any pause into Bono riffing on “Shallow,” with the singer slowly moving into the tune pointing at Gaga as if he wanted to make sure she remained on stage for it, suggesting the possibility that the band might have pulled it out on her as a surprise. Either way, she was more than ready for it.
Un altro video di Gaga e gli U2 che cantano Shallow a Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/x64Jw7Mh1r
Gaga was returning to what until recently were her own stomping grounds in Nevada. Earlier this month, on Oct. 5, she wrapped up an extension of her long-running “Jazz & Piano” show at Dolby Live in Park MGM.
MA COMEEEEEE❤😭#LadyGaga https://t.co/8UJ0NFQ3ph
Since leaving Las Vegas, Gaga seems to be doing her own tour right now — of the world’s most popular rock bands. It was only Oct. 19 that she was on the other side of the country, joining the Rolling Stones for a performance of “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” the song she sings alongside Mick Jagger on the band’s new “Hackney Diamonds” album. That duet took place during a surprise 25-minute show at the 500-capacity Racket club in Chelsea.
Not long before Gaga hit the stage in Las Vegas, the Stones’ YouTube account posted her performance of “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” with the band in New York, in full.
Gaga’s guest appearance at Sphere wasn’t her first time at the altar with U2, as it were. She performed “Ordinary Love” with Bono and company at a show at Madison Square Garden in 2015.
U2 has not had prominent guests on stage in the band’s own Vegas residency until now. There’s plenty of time to bring more out. The band recently announced an extension that will add 11 shows in January and February of 2024, bringing the total number of concerts at the new venue to 36, for now. The newly added shows are set for Jan. 26, 27 and 31 and Feb. 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 15, 17 and 18.
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