Tool guitarist Adam Jones says the band may still end up at the Las Vegas Sphere someday, even though the timing has not lined up yet. In a new interview with Ronni Hunter of 99.7 The Blitz, Jones said Tool were originally asked to be one of the first acts to open the venue, but “Game Of Thrones” band politics got in the way and the slot ultimately went to U2. He added that the Sphere team has remained enthusiastic about the band, and that discussions have been going on since the venue opened.
Jones said Tool had actually been approached for the Sphere at the beginning, explaining, “We were supposed to open that place.” He said the plan fell apart because of “Game Of Thrones” band politics, and he believes U2 likely would have been chosen anyway. Still, he made it clear that the door is open: the band and Sphere organizers have continued talking about “doing some kind of residency there,” even if the logistics are complicated.
What makes the idea tricky, Jones said, is not interest but execution. He pointed to production requirements, budgeting, money, and timing as the main obstacles, calling the whole thing “complicated” before adding, “But I think we will do it at some point.” That was the clearest sign yet from Jones that Tool still sees the Sphere as a realistic future home, not just a passing idea.
The comments line up with what drummer Danny Carey said earlier this year. In February 2026, Carey said Tool were working on new music and hoped to release their next album in 2027. He also said the band had been talking to Sphere organizers and called Tool “the perfect band” for the venue because of the group’s cinematic live presentation.
Carey also stressed that a residency at the Sphere would be a major undertaking. He said the preparation would be “pretty intense,” that it would take “quite a few shows before you make any money,” and that the venue itself is “incredible.” After touring the building, Carey said he had not yet seen a full concert there, but the scale of the place was enough to almost give him vertigo.
The Sphere itself has become one of the most talked-about live venues in the world since opening in September 2023, thanks to its immersive 16K wraparound screen and heavily engineered sound system. Carey’s comments made clear why Tool are drawn to it: the band already leans heavily on visuals, atmosphere, and large-scale production, which fits the venue’s design.
Tool’s last studio album, Fear Inoculum, arrived in August 2019, and Carey said in February that the goal is to have the next record out in 2027. Louder also noted that the band will headline Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio on May 17, 2026, while Carey and Maynard James Keenan are active on other projects in the meantime.
For now, the Sphere residency remains a “someday” plan rather than a confirmed booking. But between Jones’ latest comments and Carey’s earlier enthusiasm, Tool have made one thing clear: they want in, and they are still talking about how to make it happen.
