The Sphere in Las Vegas is a foreshadowing of what live entertainment will become worldwide. To those who have not attended and merely seen pictures and videos on their screen, the venue seems like a government-created mind control machine aimed at lulling its subjects into a cerebral slumber. Also, as I stated in my interview with Zac Brown, “it’s the closest thing to taking drugs without taking drugs.” Though mind control and an out-of-body trip are not what Brown hopes to achieve with his residency. Rather, what he hopes to achieve is seemingly what he’s always hoped to achieve…
Videos by American Songwriter
Before we get to the “what” in question, we must debrief you on Zac Brown’s plans. Not only is Brown occupying the Sphere in Las Vegas for roughly two months, but he and the Zac Brown Band also recently released their seventh full-length studio album, Love & Fear. Featuring collaborations with Dolly Parton, Snoop Dogg, and Marcus King, the full album dropped on December 5, 2025, and includes the ever-so familiar and much-needed optimism of Brown and his band, as well as a tinge of melancholy; hence, the album title, Love & Fear.
Brown has been doing this at the highest level for as long as I and likely most can remember. His art goes beyond one mere genre, and his ideas connect with everybody. Needless to say, Brown is continuing his first-class career and pursuit of humane interconnection, and he’s doing so at the Sphere and with Love & Fear.
Zac Brown Is a Fan First and Has a Bar To Raise
The Zac Brown Band has been preparing for their Sphere Residency for two years. Concerning the preparation for the show, Brown told American Songwriter, “I’ve never put more work in anything in my life, or invested as much,” and “If you want to do something extraordinary, it requires an extraordinary effort.”
ZBB is the first country band to land a residency at the Sphere, and “It’s a big deal,” says Brown. “This is our opportunity to raise the bar for everything that we’re doing.” “We’re one of the guinea pigs in the middle of it, and as ambitious a show as we’re trying to put on… I think people’s expectations are going to be really blown away by the level of what we’re doing,” added Zac Brown.
If you’ve been to a ZBB show, then you know that you, as a fan, have been taken into consideration. That is also the case for his residency at the Sphere. Regarding his fans, he stated, “If I were a fan, what would I want to see?” “I want to see a band with incredible musicianship, where everybody gets to shine. Songs that mean something that people want to sing along to, where they feel like they just had a therapy session.”
If you visit Sin City’s Sphere, know that Brown will connect “our own personal experiences and make us feel something.” And he will do so by going “from as dark and scary as it can go to as light, and soaring and beautiful as it can go.”
Bringing You To Love With a Little Bit of Fear
“I’m always trying to connect with what makes us the same, and then lead people toward the light. It’s all there. It’s a matter of your own perspective. You want to live in your own hell and contribute to all that? Or do you want to believe in it, in the love and awakening and connection that we have?”
When it comes to any body of work, no words can truly translate every single meaning and intention behind it. However, that quote above comes incredibly close. This album is a journey from the dismal depths of the soul to the white in a gleeful smile. From Brown’s collaborations with Dolly Parton and Marcus King on “Butterfly” and “Hard Run” to “I Ain’t Worried About It”, every song aims to bring one to an optimistic conclusion.
Produced and released independently by Brown and the band, Love & Fear is a 13-track album that urges listeners to cancel out the noise and try to tune into the significant signals of this life. “Music is the medicine,” Brown says, and “everything in this life is going to be what we make it.”
“Everything coming out of this is going to be a reflection of our dedication to our craft and trying to move people,” concluded Brown. Now, back to that “what” from before you were probably wondering about. Well, that “what” is to seemingly help one find the fortitude to celebrate life and all of its parts. That is what Zac Brown hopes to achieve. To truly find out, book a ticket to Vegas, check out his new album, or try to schedule an interview with him. He’d likely be glad to sit down and chat.
To learn more about the Zac Brown Band Sphere Residency going on now, visit here. Lastly, Love & Fear is out everywhere, now.
Photo via Tyler Lord
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.