Early favorite for Show of the Year closes at Sphere

We already have a clear front-runner for our Show of the Year in VegasVille. Anyma’s “The End of Genesys,” Sphere’s first EDM residency, was that experience.

We refer to it in past tense, as the production closed with four performances over the weekend, selling a total of 200,000 tickets over a dozen dates starting Dec. 27.

Leaving Las Vegas, concept creator-DJ-producer Matteo Milleri has announced his upcoming third album, “The End of Genesys.” The headliner revealed the new release during the culmination of Sunday’s finale at Sphere.

The designation for Anyma’s production as the top show in Vegas, at least in the first quarter, is not taken lightly. This praise is likely to rankle many musicians in Las Vegas. Lon Bronson, the vaunted bandleader and trumpet player who has has played Vegas for 35 years, says from the stage, “The only thing worse than DJ headliner is a DJ opening for another DJ.”

I argue any artist can explore a different live experience and come away inspired. Tiesto opened for Anyma on my visit on New Year’s Day, a fantastic table-setter for “The End of Genysys.” I would not have imagined a DJ putting on such a wonderful storytelling production. “End of Genesys” was a stunning, and surprising, EDM excursion that maximized all technical elements of the Bulbous Wonder.

Bracing visuals. Boundless melodies. A next-level audio setup. This show was a multisensory adventure. When Eva, the story’s sky-high, computer-generated central figure, cracked Sphere’s glass exterior with a pounding fist, you were t0tally (using an overused term selectively) immersed.

And this from a person who teared up during the lyrics of “Lyin’ Eyes” spilling down that same surface during the Eagles’ show. You can be moved by both.

The hard-cores should devour Anyma’s new release. “The End of Genesys” is the last chapter in Anyma’s “Genesys” trilogy. It follows earlier albums “Genesys I” and “Genesys II.” The new material includes recent singles “Angel In The Dark,” “Voices In My Head” with Argy and Son Of Son; and “Hypnotized” featuring Ellie Goulding.

That song is among new music that debuted during the Sphere series. Officials are teasing collaborations with Grimes, FKA Twigs, 070 Shake, Yeat, Empire of the Sun and others.

Anyma explored the neighborhood outside Sphere, making an unbilled appearance Sunday at LIV at Fontainebleau with resident DJ John Summit. This was just after Summit had opened for Anyma at Sphere. Yep, a DJ opening for another DJ. Shake your fist at it, the idea has a place here.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.