setlist.fm logo

  • Statistics Stats
  • You are here:

Setlist History: U2’s First North America Show 37 Years Ago Today

  • Setlist History
  • Last updated: 10 Aug 2022, 21:32:39
  • Published: 6 Dec 2017, 14:00:00
  • Written by: Sean Kayden
  • Photography by: Kyle Dean Reinford
  • Categories: Setlist History Tagged: U2

There's no contesting it, U2 is one of the biggest bands of all time. They sell out arenas all across the globe every time they’re on tour. Last week, they released their fourteenth album, Songs Of Experience , with their sixteenth concert tour set for 2018. But even U2 had to start somewhere, right? Before these Irish lads became the iconic rockstars they are today, they released their very first record in 1980 called Boy . And on December 6, 1980, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. made their US debut at The Ritz in New York, New York.

They were just one of a few bands set to perform that evening, with roughly 25-plus people in attendance. In a fan review , it was said that people were dancing and clapping and had actually watched the band play, despite their unfamiliarity with the Dublin quartet. Being the final act of the night, the room quickly chanted, “Encore! Encore!,” soon after U2 walked off stage. A few minutes later Bono and company returned, picked up their instruments, and played their two final songs of the night. They started the encore with the punk-rock tune, “ Out of Control ,” which is found on their debut record. Bono said that it had become tradition for them to play their opening song as an encore, and therefore, performed the song “ 11 O'Clock Tick Tock ” to close out the set. While the song didn’t make the cut to their debut album, Boy, it had been released as a prior one-off single. It later appeared on the 1983 live album, Under a Blood Red Sky.

u2 first tour in us

U2’s first North America show on that December day wasn’t intended to be their first as their scheduled show the night before at the Penny Arcade in Rochester, New York had been cancelled. However, their performance at the Ritz was received with a strong, positive response from the audience, which thrilled Frank Barsalona, head of the Premier Talent booking agency. While 1980's Boy doesn’t feature any of the band’s classics such as, “ One ,” " Sunday Bloody Sunday, ” or “ With or Without You ,” the opening track, “I Will Follow,” is their second most performed song of all time, according to our records . U2’s Boy Tour wrapped up in 1981 with a total of 151 performances.

To see U2 next year on their eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour, visit Live Nation.

Latest News

u2 first tour in us

Avenged Sevenfold Performs Old and New Favorites in Buffalo

u2 first tour in us

Sheryl Crow Live Debuts "Do It Again" at a Baseball Music Fest

u2 first tour in us

Kacey Musgraves Surprises Zach Bryan Fans at Chicago Opener

u2 first tour in us

Highlights from Emo's Not Dead Cruise 2024

Most played songs.

  • I Will Follow ( 1060 )
  • Pride (In the Name of Love) ( 1026 )
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday ( 948 )
  • Where the Streets Have No Name ( 945 )
  • With or Without You ( 879 )

More U2 statistics

Gigs seen live by

24,615 people have seen U2 live.

bringcitrus Urockstar107 Hogun33 garettnell Kappy22 rafa3000 billmoriarty the_kid_721 BodhoVox zarate4666 colasuon texasmcse LordEldritch nuni0315 sexiesadie chrishayes958 fquinto JC34 andrealaureano robrory judowolverine johnsma9 BJK42 Michken jackepsteen noidreqd Hanalei marte79 nuke126 halesmail karpediem U2Dave carlile ron_robichaud LorenR XLBYGUCDN JAMCFP drsandcastle prnaylor nycguy524 Luizim maik_u2 Instantchip jimlamontagne rgvanfan dhaygood GrungeDude Antistyle dvanpat ArtDirla

Showing only 50 most recent

More from U2

  • More Setlists
  • Artist Statistics
  • Add setlist
  • Setlist Insider See the artists dive into their own setlist data.
  • Live Debuts Witness the first time a song is performed live.
  • Setlist.fm Exclusives Videos, photos and interviews - see it here first.
  • Covers Better than the original? You decide.
  • Guest Appearances Keeping track of the on-stage cameos.
  • Setlist History Looking back on moments in music history.
  • Tour Dates How to catch your faves: The who, what, where and when.
  • Festivals News about the multi-artist, multi-day extravaganzas.
  • General News Other music-related news.
  • Mar 7, 2024
  • Mar 6, 2024
  • Mar 5, 2024
  • Mar 4, 2024
  • Mar 3, 2024
  • Mar 2, 2024
  • FAQ | Help | About
  • Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices | Privacy Policy
  • Feature requests
  • Songtexte.com

u2 first tour in us

an image, when javascript is unavailable

  • facebook-rs

Flashback: U2 Play Frenetic ‘Out of Control’ on 1981 ‘Boy’ Tour

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

U2 ’s hardcore fans unearthed an important piece of the band’s history earlier this month with the discovery of an audience recording from an August 1979 gig the group played at Dublin’s Dandelion Market. It’s the earliest U2 concert recording known to exist, containing not just early versions of “Out of Control” and “Stories For Boys,” but also two songs that have never been heard before: “In Your Hand” and “Concentration Cramp.”

Some of the songs later appeared on their debut LP Boy , released in October 1980. U2 promoted the album with a brief American tour that December before returning in March 1981 for a much longer odyssey that took them to nearly every corner of the country. Professional cameras were rolling when the tour reached San Francisco’s California Hall on May 15th, 1981, and you can watch the band play “Out of Control” right here. Their repertoire was so limited at that point that when audiences called them back for an encore, they had to play “I Will Follow,” “The Ocean,” and “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” even though they already did them in the main set.

It was a busy week at the California Hall for acts from Ireland and England. The evening before U2 played, Split Enz appeared and the day after Madness played, one year before they broke big in America with “Our House.” Local San Francisco group Romeo Void opened up for U2, shortly before they had a hit of their own with “Never Say Never.”

Split Enz and Romeo Void are just distant memories, but U2 is still going strong. They are bringing their Joshua Tree anniversary tour back on the road later this year for dates at stadiums in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. They’ve come a long, long way from the Dandelion Market and California Hall.

Michael Jackson Estate, Katherine Jackson Clash in Court Over $600 Million Catalog Deal

  • Court Challenge
  • By Nancy Dillon

Future, Metro Boomin Announce Two Joint Albums, 'We Don't Trust You' to Drop in March

  • Metro X Pluto
  • By Ethan Millman

Jagwar Twin Becomes Ring Master of a 'Dalí-Esque Circus' in 'Bad Feeling' Video

  • Oompa Loompa
  • By Tomás Mier

Marilyn Manson Attempts Comeback Tour Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

  • By Kory Grow and Nancy Dillon

Sleater-Kinney Strip Away 'Little Rope' Songs for Raw, New Emotion

  • Restarting Again
  • By Kory Grow

Most Popular

Facebook, instagram hit by outage: thousands of users reported problems including getting logged out, rumors surrounding prince william’s relationship with rose hanbury are at an all-time high amid kate middleton’s recovery, tony goldwyn, jane fonda, matthew modine and more sign open letter ahead of oscars to "make nukes history", d.l. hughley says he'll never forgive mo'nique for reigniting rift with his daughter, you might also like, ‘dune: part two’ review: timothée chalamet grows up — and so do the sandworms — in denis villeneuve’s epic follow-up, ‘ellipses’ author vanessa lawrence talks about glossy magazine world versus fiction, this best-selling magnetic rowing machine is $185 off on amazon today, ‘road house’ review: jake gyllenhaal makes a bid for ’80s movie stardom in an early contender for 2024’s silliest film, lions’ jalen reeves-maybin elected nflpa president.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

U2gigs.com - U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at the Sphere 2023/2024

u2 first tour in us

Showing all tours for U2

Welcome to our comprehensive historical database of U2's tours. It is the largest setlist archive on the Internet and contains sets from U2's very first concert to the most recent. Where possible, we provide information beyond the songs played: snippets, soundchecked songs, concert runtime, statistical observations, and trivia are given for many shows. Beyond just setlists, many concerts contain photos and reviews to bring the data to life. We also have a Setlist FAQ to answer any further questions you may have. We hope this wealth of information helps you relive concert memories, satisfies your curiosity about U2 live, and is both useful and helpful. Please be aware that prior to the Conspiracy Of Hope Tour, not all setlists are known.

  • U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at the Sphere (2 legs / 40 shows)
  • Stories of Surrender Tour (3 legs / 42 shows)
  • Joshua Tree Tour 2019 (15 shows)
  • Experience + Innocence Tour (2 legs / 60 shows)
  • Songs Of Experience Promo Tour (10 shows)
  • Joshua Tree Tour 2017 (3 legs / 51 shows)
  • Innocence + Experience Tour (2 legs / 76 shows)
  • Songs Of Innocence Promo Tour (15 shows)
  • 360° Tour (7 legs / 110 shows)
  • No Line On The Horizon Promo Tour (26 shows)
  • Vertigo Tour (5 legs / 131 shows)
  • How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb Promo Tour (8 shows)
  • Elevation Tour (3 legs / 113 shows)
  • All That You Can't Leave Behind Promo Tour (20 shows)
  • PopMart Tour (4 legs / 93 shows)
  • ZOO TV Tour (5 legs / 156 shows)
  • Lovetown Tour (2 legs / 47 shows)
  • Joshua Tree Tour (3 legs / 109 shows)
  • Conspiracy Of Hope (6 shows)
  • Unforgettable Fire Tour (6 legs / 112 shows)
  • War Tour (5 legs / 109 shows)
  • October Tour (7 legs / 103 shows)
  • Boy Tour (5 legs / 155 shows)
  • 11 O'Clock Tick Tock Tour (2 legs / 26 shows)
  • Early Days (5 legs / 139 shows)
  • Various Dates (5 legs / 393 shows)
  • Arts & Events
  • Great Reads
  • Atlanta 500
  • Block by Block: Stories from the streets that connect us
  • Women Making a Mark
  • Pride Guide 2022
  • Restaurant Reviews
  • 75 Best Restaurants in Atlanta
  • Best Barbecue
  • 50 Best Tacos
  • 123 Things to Eat on Buford Highway
  • 50 Best Bars
  • Best Breakfast
  • The TOUR Championship Cocktail Contest
  • Atlanta Magazine’s HOME Digital Editions
  • Artists & Galleries
  • Design Advice
  • Design News
  • Real Estate
  • Neighborhoods
  • Real Estate All-Stars
  • Sponsored: Preferred HOME Partner
  • Kitchens for a Cause
  • Georgia Design Awards 2023
  • School Guide
  • Health & Wellness
  • Top Doctors
  • Top Dentists
  • Sponsored: Physician & Dentist Profiles
  • Buckhead Guidebook
  • Southbound Magazine
  • Southbound Digital Editions
  • Southbound Newsletter
  • 50 Best Things to Do in Georgia
  • Hidden Georgia
  • North Georgia Mountains
  • Great Georgia Hikes
  • Jekyll Island
  • Georgia Travel Guide
  • Gilmer: Ellijay Visitors Guide 2022
  • Alabama Vacation Guide 2023
  • Readers’ Choice
  • Subscription Center
  • Newsletters
  • Digital Editions
  • Custom Media
  • Give Atlanta
  • Internships
  • Where to Find
  • Georgia Design Awards 2024
  • GrillFest 2024
  • Whiskey Festival 2023
  • Upcoming Events
  • Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2022
  • 2020 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Designer Showhouse
  • Atlanta Baby and Beyond
  • Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2019
  • DINES: A Taste of the City’s Best Restaurants
  • 2019 Modern Style Showhome
  • Best Burger Battle
  • Pinewood Forest Idea Home
  • 2018 Modern Style Showhouses
  • Event Photos
  • Issue Archive
  • GaBiz Magazine
  • Vote for the Best of Atlanta Reader’s Choice 2023

Atlanta Magazine

U2 in Atlanta: An oral history of the band and the city’s shared journey

u2 first tour in us

Photograph by Adrian Boot

On a muggy May evening in 1981, a group of musicians pulled up to the curb across from the Fox Theatre and started lugging their instruments into a nightclub where the Georgian Terrace parking deck now stands. Until 1979, the venue had been known as Alex Cooley’s Electric Ballroom, and hosted Fleetwood Mac, Patti Smith, and Bruce Springsteen, among others. Its replacement, the Agora Ballroom, was a cavernous room where the four young men from the north side of Dublin—singer Paul “Bono” Hewson; bassist Adam Clayton; guitarist David “The Edge” Evans; and drummer Larry Mullen Jr., none older than 21—introduced Atlanta to their debut album, Boy , a collection of post-punk anthems that contrasted sharply with the New Wave dance beats, soft rock, and soul ballads crowding the Top 40 at the time.

Seven months later, the band was back for a second show. In a 1981 interview with Bono for Muzik! magazine, Atlanta journalist Tony Paris wrote about the frontman’s desire to be heard on mainstream radio and for fans to leave room for his lyrics—about defiance, God, the death of his mother—to “sink in.” British photographer Adrian Boot, who toured with the band that autumn, captured images of U2 members mugging along West Peachtree Street in front of the former Sans Souci club, a jukebox dealership, and an old-school filling station. The next night, the band shook the Agora rafters with the single “I Will Follow” twice during its 60-minute set. Today, listening to a YouTube bootleg of that concert from 37 years ago reveals just how little U2’s core sound and spiritual evocations have changed in almost four decades.

Atlanta, a forgettable stop to less perceptive musicians from across the pond, offered a complicated soul, divided by its Civil War past, civil rights present, and global aspirations. When U2 played the Agora on December 1, 1981, the city was coping with the aftermath of the Atlanta child murders. Later that same month, former United Nations ambassador Andrew Young celebrated his victory in the recent mayoral election runoff; Ted Turner’s fledgling CNN network was revolutionizing international news; the CDC developed the first definitions for a disease it would soon label AIDS; and the roar of jet blasts from the newly expanded Hartsfield airport, which would evolve into the world’s busiest, hummed in the distance. Atlanta went on to host the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, emerge as a center for global health initiatives, and grow a multibillion dollar film and music industry. For its part, U2 would become one of the biggest acts in rock history. On May 28, the band returns for its 15th concert here (at the Infinite Energy Center) in support of its 14th album, Songs of Experience , a mature counterpoint to the adolescent ruminations of Boy . Today, U2 writes and plays as if America is still there to be conquered, and at age 58, Bono’s lyrics about love and mortality also contemplate the fraught politics of the Trump era.

U2’s intersections with Atlanta over the years have gone beyond the city as a requisite tour stop. For a band from Europe intent on deconstructing the myth of America, Atlanta—its imperfect icons, its musicians, its leaders—has been a specific, if rarely noticed, part of U2’s journey, not only for the city’s social justice movements of the past but for the present, too. In anticipation of U2’s first Atlanta concert in nine years, two generations of Georgians talk about the band.

1981-1985 Early days, Unforgettable fire , and the reach of Live Aid

Between 1981 and 1983, U2 performed four times in Atlanta. In 1984, the band released its fourth studio album, The Unforgettable Fire . The recording contained two songs—“Pride (In the Name of Love)” and “MLK”—about Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacy fascinated Bono after a writer at Rolling Stone gifted him a copy of the King biography, Let the Trumpet Sound .

John Lewis was an Atlanta city councilmember at the time.

John Lewis (U.S. congressman; civil rights leader): I don’t remember the exact moment I heard “Pride (In the Name of Love),” but I’m sure it was right after the song came out. I identified with [U2’s songs] because of the similarities I recognized between [situations] in America and in Northern Ireland. They had a Bloody Sunday there, similar to the Bloody Sunday we had in Selma. The struggle for freedom and liberation is universal.

On April 29, 1985, when U2 rolled into the Omni on the Unforgettable Fire tour to play its biggest Atlanta show to date, the city had just hosted the inaugural International AIDS Conference. The band also made a visit to the King Center.

Tony Paris (Freelance writer and former editor of Creative Loafing ): By the time U2 played the Omni, the band could command the money it needed to put on a well-conceived show using the latest technology. It was chilling to watch them play “Pride” with photographs of MLK projected behind them. But I had to laugh, remembering what Bono said to me only four years earlier: “Tony, U2 is not a political band.” Maybe not in governmental terms, I thought, but they (or, at least Bono, in his lyrics) were certainly now engaging in what French philosopher Michel Foucault might have called political spirituality.

In the 2005 book, U2 by U2 , Bono recalled that he had flown his father, Bob Hewson, from Ireland for the Omni show. When Bono took a limousine to Hartsfield to fetch his father, Bob balked at the vehicle, so they switched to a taxi. Backstage after the show, Bono saw his father approach him. “This is a moment I’ve waited for all my life,” Bono wrote. “My father was going to tell me he loved me. He walked up, put his hand out, looked me in the eye, and said, ‘Son, you’re very professional!’”

Eight weeks after the Omni show, on June 22, 1985, U2 played on a bill with Athens band R.E.M. at the Longest Day music festival in Milton Keynes, U.K. Bono would recall meeting Michael Stipe for the first time as “that dance when two contemporaries kind of work around each other.” The friendship grew into what Bono labeled “one of the most important of my life.” On July 6-7, 1985, U2 and R.E.M. played at the Rock Torhout/ Rock Werchter festivals in Belgium.

Mike Mills (bassist, R.E.M. cofounder): U2 was big before we were, so they were the festival headliner, and we were playing earlier in the day, but we rode in and out [of the festival site] with them on their bus. Everybody took turns singing songs and Irish folk ballads.

Less than a week later, U2 performed in London on July 13 to raise funds for Ethiopian famine relief as part of Live Aid, a televised concert broadcast which reached one-third of the world’s population and launched the band into super stardom.

Michelle Nunn (CEO and president of CARE; former CEO of Points of Light/Hands On Atlanta): In the summer of 1985, I had just finished high school and was preparing for college. The performances at Live Aid [including U2] fit the zeitgeist of the moment. The concert inspired my belief that collective action—literally joining hands—could help change the world. Seeing this activism prompted me to imagine how I could be a part of creating change.

1986-1992 Conspiracy of Hope Tour, Joshua Tree , Zoo TV at the Georgia Dome

U2 returned to Atlanta in 1986 as part of Amnesty International’s Conspiracy of Hope Tour, which supported releasing prisoners of conscience worldwide. U2 was writing its fifth studio album, The Joshua Tree . The day before the show, Amnesty held a press conference at the King Center, attended by Coretta Scott King; that night, Bono and Larry Mullen, Jr. jammed with members of Lou Reed’s and Peter Gabriel’s bands in the hotel bar at the Ramada Plaza downtown.

U2 returned to the Omni in December 1987 for two shows in support of the Joshua Tree . The following year, the band paid homage to the American South as part of the Phil Joanou–directed documentary (and album of the same name), Rattle and Hum . By the time the Berlin-recorded stylistic departure called Achtung Baby was released in 1991 and the band hit the road in North America in 1992, the first Gulf War had come and gone, John Lewis was in his third term as a congressman, Maynard Jackson was Atlanta’s mayor once again, and Bono, behind thick shades and his new alter-egos The Fly, Mirror Ball Man, and MacPhisto, had begun prank calling the White House from the stage most nights during concerts on the “Zoo TV tour.” U2 played the Omni in March 1992 and returned that September to headline the first rock show at the newly built Georgia Dome with opening act Public Enemy and Big Audio Dynamite.

Peter Conlon (president of Live Nation Atlanta): Alex [Cooley] and I wanted to make sure that we booked the first show there, and we wanted it to be special, so we asked U2. 50,000 people. Maybe the biggest show ever in Atlanta at that time, because Fulton County Stadium couldn’t hold those kind of numbers, nor Grant Field. It sold out right away.

Thomas Wheatley (articles editor at Atlanta magazine): I was 12 years old. I was amazed at the stage: I remember cars on cranes, massive video screens, and platforms—all for a four-piece band. My mom let me buy a ridiculous amount of lighters on the off-chance everyone lit them during “One.” They did, so we did. The drunk woman standing in front of us had permed hair, and I accidentally lit a strand on fire. She didn’t notice. I don’t know why, but we left early—we must have had school the next day—while they played “Where the Streets Have No Name.” Walking through the basically empty corridors of the Georgia Dome made me feel like I was in the end credits of a movie.

Chuck D (cofounder of Public Enemy; member of Prophets of Rage): I knew what Bono had to say about King, and he knew what I had to say. We weren’t going to sit around and talk about it. Bono comes along with the crew from Dublin and visits [Dr. King’s] crypt, which was becoming part of the tapestry of Atlanta at that time and almost [an afterthought] for people who already lived there. Anything Bono decided to do, especially as an outsider traveling in the American South at that time, I appreciated his effort. That tour taught Public Enemy so much about how tours should be run, and it was our first engagement with gigantic venues. Plus, we will always get to say we were the first artists to play in the Georgia Dome.

Photograph by Kevin Winter/Getty Images

1993-2001 PopMart, friendship with R.E.M., Elevation Tour

As R.E.M. became U2’s rival for the title of “biggest band in the world,” the relationship between the bands strengthened. In 1993, not long before U2 released Zooropa , members of both bands performed at an inaugural ball for Bill Clinton, forming a one-night-only group, Automatic Baby.

Bertis Downs (attorney and advisor to R.E.M.):  There had been a late-night hotel bar session a couple of nights before—Michael Stipe really loved the U2 song, “One.” Michael and Mike [Mills] were up late singing it together, and the idea came up of perhaps playing it at the MTV Ball with the two U2 guys in town (bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr.). They thought, “We could do this.” The next day, calls were made and a rehearsal was arranged. We wanted to keep it a secret, which was possible before Facebook and Twitter. They performed it at the ball as Automatic Baby [referencing U2’s 1991 album,  Achtung Baby , and R.E.M.’s 1992 album, Automatic for the People ]. Four minutes, unannounced, and that was it.

In 1997, U2 performed its PopMart tour at the Georgia Dome, with Bono also devoting his time to Jubilee 2000, the campaign for wealthy countries to wipe clean old debts owed to them by poor countries. In its January 2000 issue, Newsweek asked, sarcastically, “Can Bono Save the Third World?” U2 released All That You Can’t Leave Behind that October, eight days before the election of George W. Bush.

U2 played two Elevation Tour shows at Philips Arena in 2001, one in March and one in November , bookending the terrorist attacks of September 11. An allotment of general admission floor tickets meant fans could get up close and personal with the band in a way they hadn’t been able to do since the early 1980s.

Tai Anderson (President of the Atlanta chapter of the Recording Academy; former bassist for Grammy-winning band Third Day): When U2 came to Atlanta in 2001, I camped out all day long with the other fans so I could get a good spot on the floor “inside the heart” (the stage featured a heart-shaped catwalk). It was ironic, because Third Day had already performed our own shows in front of thousands of people. We would later headline Philips Arena ourselves, but we were fans, too. A few months after their second Philips Arena show that year, U2 played the Super Bowl and scrolled the names of the lives lost on 9/11. In that moment, U2 showed us what America means to the rest of the world.

Mike Mills : U2 had come into town on their night off before the 2001 show. We had a dinner party at my house in Athens. I gave a toast about how great it was to have friends who had walked alongside us on a similar path for all of these years, because we could always look to each other for inspiration. I go see U2 shows, and it makes me want to write a better song or be a better musician. R.E.M. always thought being in a band was like being in your own little gang. Those are the friends you turn to in difficult times, and you always have each other’s backs. U2 and R.E.M. came from the same point of origin in terms of why we were in a band. It was really supportive to have them going through the world at the same time as we did.

Photograph by Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images

2002-2018 Salute To Greatness Award, ONE, Vertigo, 360 Tour

In January 2002, Bono and Bobby Shriver founded DATA (Debt AIDS Trade Africa), funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In March, Bono visited George W. Bush at the White House to discuss AIDS, and the following January, Bush announced the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a health initiative that would also raise the profile of the Atlanta-based CDC. Bono’s charitable work increasingly intersected with Atlanta leaders.

Helene Gayle (CEO of Chicago Community Trust; former CEO of CARE) : Lots of celebrities get involved with philanthropy, but Bono stands out because he goes deep on policy. He knows about storytelling. I talk in wonkish terms, but he taps into the human spirit.

On January 17, 2004, the King Center honored Bono with the Salute to Greatness Award . Bono, in his acceptance speech, spoke of how the Irish “despaired for the lack of vision of the kind Dr. King offered people in the South in their struggle. . . . I wrote ‘Pride (In the Name of Love),’ in a way out of that feeling.” Coretta Scott King died in 2006, but Bernice King, youngest child of Coretta and Martin Luther King Jr. and CEO of the King Center, says her mother was especially fond of Bono.

Bernice King : There are few people in life [outside of our family] whom my mother took to and saw as a son of sorts. Bono is one of those. She found him fascinating. She was a little giddy. She must have picked something up in his spirit that attracted her.

The King Center hosted Bono, John Lewis, and Chris Tucker in a roundtable with AIDS activists, doctors, and scientists to discuss how to tackle the AIDS epidemic in Africa and rethink the impact of international aid.

David Ray (vice president for policy and advocacy of CARE) : At that point, we were coming out of the post-9/11 era, which was a time when the U.S. was still looking inward and the world felt like a place in chaos. There was a group of about nine of us international humanitarian organizations who got together to discuss how the U.S. engages in the world and how to help with the AIDS crisis, poverty, and hunger. [Along with DATA and the Christian advocacy organization Bread for the World], we became part of the framework for Bono’s organization, ONE .

ONE is a nonpartisan organization cofounded by Bono in 2004 which lobbies governments to fund disease eradication and poverty reduction in poor countries. ONE and CARE advocates engaged both John Lewis and Georgia’s U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson in cosponsoring bipartisan legislation around food security and public-private partnerships in Africa. Third Day also became involved with ONE. Since 2004, U2 has released four albums, played two nights at Philips Arena on its 2005 “Vertigo tour” and returned to the Georgia Dome in 2009 with the “360 tour.”   On December 1, 2011–thirty years after U2 played its second Atlanta show at the Agora–Coca-Cola  announced   a partnership with (RED), Bono’s product initiative to fight AIDS. That same day, Bono attended a World AIDS Day  event   in Washington, D.C. with President Obama alongside CARE’s Helene Gayle, CNN’s Sanjay Gupta, and Coca-Cola’s Muhtar Kent.  In 2016, Bono met Jimmy Carter when both men were honored for their humanitarian work.

Tai Anderson : Bono and Jimmy Carter were two of my heroes growing up. Their faith drove them. As Christians, we believe that Jesus taught us to love God and to love our neighbor, and for both Carter and Bono, loving your neighbor has never been determined by lines on a map. Especially in the world we live in today, your neighbor is every human being. Jesus didn’t teach “God and Country,” he taught “God and Neighbor.”

This article appears in our  May 2018 issue .

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

u2 first tour in us

Back in the day: Michael Krohngold

Newsletters.

u2 first tour in us

Most recent

Genius: MLK/X showrunners speak on behind-the-scenes motivations and how filming in Atlanta helped the show

Genius: MLK/X showrunners on behind-the-scenes motivations and how filming in Atlanta helped the show

5 of the most Atlanta moments in RuPaul's new memoir

5 of the most Atlanta moments in RuPaul’s new memoir

Old Fourth Ward is getting a hotel and social club in a new building called Forth

Old Fourth Ward is getting a hotel and social club in a new building called Forth

Great reads.

Nettie Washington Douglass

The ancestors of Nettie Washington Douglass still have stories to teach us. She just hopes we are ready to listen.

The Fox Brothers redefined Atlanta barbecue—and it all started with a humble backyard cookout

The Fox Brothers redefined Atlanta barbecue—and it all started with a humble backyard cookout

Is Atlanta ready to love Georgia Tech basketball again?

Is Atlanta ready to love Georgia Tech basketball again?

  • Business Forum
  • Privacy and Cookies Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • General Contest Rules

Your browser is ancient! Upgrade to a different browser or install Google Chrome Frame to experience this site.

Boy: Leg One [UK and Europe]

  • 1980-09-06: General Wolfe, Coventry, England
  • 1980-09-07: Lyceum Ballroom, London, England
  • 1980-09-08: Marquee Club, London, England
  • 1980-09-09: Carwardines, Berkeley, Bristol, England
  • 1980-09-11: Wellington Club, Kingston-upon-Hull, England
  • 1980-09-12: Taboo Club, Scarborough, England
  • 1980-09-13: Queen's Hall, Leeds, England
  • 1980-09-15: Marquee Club, London, England
  • 1980-09-16: Fiesta Suite, Plymouth, England
  • 1980-09-17: The Golden Eagle, Birmingham, England
  • 1980-09-18: Civic Hall, Totnes, England
  • 1980-09-19: Marshall Rooms, Stroud, England
  • 1980-09-21: Nag's Head, Wollaston, England
  • 1980-09-22: Marquee Club, London, England
  • 1980-09-23: Limit Club, Sheffield, England
  • 1980-09-24: Friars Club, Aylesbury, England
  • 1980-09-25: Brady's, Liverpool, England
  • 1980-09-26: Cedar Club, Birmingham, England
  • 1980-09-27: Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry, England
  • 1980-09-29: Marquee Club, London, England
  • 1980-09-30: Polytechnic, Brighton, England
  • 1980-10-02: Brannigan's, Leeds, England
  • 1980-10-03: Porterhouse, Retford, England
  • 1980-10-04: London School Of Economics, London, England
  • 1980-10-05: Half Moon Club, Herne Hill, London, England
  • 1980-10-07: Boat Club, Nottingham, England
  • 1980-10-09: Polytechnic, Manchester, England
  • 1980-10-11: Kingston Polytechnic, London, England
  • 1980-10-14: KRO Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands
  • 1980-10-15: Milkyway, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 1980-10-16: Vera, Groningen, Netherlands
  • 1980-10-17: Gigant, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
  • 1980-10-18: Claridge, Brussels, Belgium
  • 1980-10-19: Lyceum Ballroom, London, England
  • 1980-11-07: University, Exeter, England
  • 1980-11-08: University, Southhampton, England
  • 1980-11-09: Moonlight Club, London, England
  • 1980-11-11: Kent University, Canterbury, England
  • 1980-11-12: Communal Building, University of Bradford, Bradford, England
  • 1980-11-13: Limit Club, Sheffield, England
  • 1980-11-14: Kidderminster Town Hall, Kidderminster, England
  • 1980-11-15: Polytechnic, Bristol, England
  • 1980-11-18: University, Reading, England
  • 1980-11-19: Polytechnic, Wolverhampton, England
  • 1980-11-20: Polytechnic, Blackpool, England
  • 1980-11-21: Nite Club, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • 1980-11-22: Brady's, Liverpool, England
  • 1980-11-24: Polytechnic, Coventry, England
  • 1980-11-26: Playhouse Theatre, Hulme, England
  • 1980-11-26: Marquee Club, London, England
  • 1980-11-27: Marquee Club, London, England
  • 1980-11-28: Aston University, Birmingham, England
  • 1980-11-29: Keele University, Newcastle, England
  • 1980-11-30: Jenkinson's Cabaret Bar, Brighton, England
  • 1980-12-01: Hammersmith Palais, London, England
  • 1980-12-02: Hammersmith Odeon, London, England
  • 1980-12-03: Théâtre Mogador, Paris, France
  • 1980-12-04: Baltard Pavilion, Paris, France

Boy: Leg Two [North America]

  • 1980-12-06: Ritz, New York, NY, USA
  • 1980-12-07: Bayou, Washington, DC, USA
  • 1980-12-08: Stage One, Buffalo, NY, USA
  • 1980-12-09: El Mocambo, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 1980-12-11: Mudd Club, New York, NY, USA
  • 1980-12-12: Main Event, Providence, RI, USA
  • 1980-12-13: Paradise Theater, Boston, MA, USA
  • 1980-12-14: Toad's Place, New Haven, CT, USA
  • 1980-12-15: Bijou Cafe, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Boy: Leg Three [Irish Tour 1980]

  • 1980-12-17: Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • 1980-12-18: Leisureland, Galway, Ireland
  • 1980-12-19: Riviera Club, Baymount Hotel, Strandhill, Sligo, Ireland
  • 1980-12-20: Arcadia Ballroom, Cork, Ireland
  • 1980-12-22: TV Club, Dublin, Ireland

Boy: Leg Four [Europe]

  • 1981-01-23: McMordie Hall, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • 1981-01-24: Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Scotland
  • 1981-01-25: Valentino's Club, Edinburgh, Scotland
  • 1981-01-27: Cavendish House, Manchester Polytechnic, Manchester, England
  • 1981-01-28: The LCR, University of East Anglia, Norwich, England
  • 1981-01-29: Park Campus, Nene College, Northampton, England
  • 1981-01-30: Students' Union, Loughborough University, Loughborough, England
  • 1981-01-31: City Hall, St Albans, England
  • 1981-02-01: Lyceum Ballroom, London, England
  • 1981-02-09: Underground, Stockholm, Sweden
  • 1981-02-10: Théâtre de la Bourse, Beursschouwburg, Brussels, Belgium
  • 1981-02-11: Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 1981-02-12: Paard Van Troje, The Hague, Netherlands
  • 1981-02-13: Eksit, Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • 1981-02-14: Donkiesjot, Sittard, Netherlands
  • 1981-02-15: Onkel Pös Carnegie Hall, Hamburg, Germany
  • 1981-02-17: Kant Kino, Berlin, Germany
  • 1981-02-18: Sugar Shack, Munich, Germany
  • 1981-02-19: Salle Du Faubourg, Geneva, Switzerland
  • 1981-02-20: École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État, Vaulx-en-Velin, France
  • 1981-02-21: Théâtre Le Palace, Paris, France

Boy: Leg Five [North America]

  • 1981-03-03: Bayou, Washington, DC, USA
  • 1981-03-03: Bayou, Washington, DC
  • 1981-03-04: Bijou Cafe, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • 1981-03-05: J.B. Scott's, Albany, New York
  • 1981-03-06: Paradise Theater, Boston, MA, USA
  • 1981-03-07: Ritz, New York, NY, USA
  • 1981-03-09: Le Club Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • 1981-03-10: Barrymore's, Ottawa, ON, Canada
  • 1981-03-11: Maple Leaf Ballroom, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 1981-03-14: The Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, California
  • 1981-03-15: Country Club, Reseda, CA, USA
  • 1981-03-16: Woodstock, Anaheim, CA, USA
  • 1981-03-18: Student Union Ballroom, San Jose State University, San Jose, California
  • 1981-03-19: Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA, USA
  • 1981-03-20: Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA, USA
  • 1981-03-22: Foghorn Tavern, Portland, OR, USA
  • 1981-03-23: Astor Park, Seattle, Washington
  • 1981-03-24: Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, Canada
  • 1981-03-26: New Faces Roadhouse, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
  • 1981-03-28: Rainbow Music Hall, Denver, Colorado
  • 1981-03-30: Rox, Lubbock, TX, USA
  • 1981-03-31: Club Foot, Austin, TX, USA
  • 1981-04-01: Cardi's, Houston, TX, USA
  • 1981-04-02: Bijou, Dallas, TX, USA
  • 1981-04-03: Quicksilver's, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
  • 1981-04-04: Cain's Ballroom, Tulsa, OK, USA
  • 1981-04-06: Uptown Theater, Kansas City, MO, USA
  • 1981-04-07: Graham Memorial Chapel , St. Louis, MO, USA
  • 1981-04-09: Sam's, Minneapolis, MN, USA
  • 1981-04-10: Filmore, Ames, IA, USA
  • 1981-04-11: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
  • 1981-04-12: Park West, Chicago, IL, USA
  • 1981-04-14: Merlyn's, Madison, WI, USA
  • 1981-04-15: The Palms, Milwaukee, WI, USA
  • 1981-04-17: Bogart's, Cincinnati, OH, USA
  • 1981-04-18: Harpo's, Detroit, MI, USA
  • 1981-04-19: Agora, Columbus, OH, USA
  • 1981-04-20: Agora, Cleveland, OH, USA
  • 1981-04-21: Decade, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • 1981-05-02: Rathskeller, Gainesville, FL, USA
  • 1981-05-03: End Zone, Tampa, FL, USA
  • 1981-05-04: Agora, Hallendale, FL, USA
  • 1981-05-06: Agora, Atlanta, GA, USA
  • 1981-05-08: Ol' Man River's, New Orleans, LA, USA
  • 1981-05-09: Poet's Music Hall, Memphis, TN, USA
  • 1981-05-11: Rainbow Music Hall, Denver, CO, USA
  • 1981-05-13: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium , Santa Monica, CA
  • 1981-05-15: California Hall, San Francisco, CA, USA
  • 1981-05-19: Ryerson Theatre, Toronto, Canada
  • 1981-05-21: Uncle Sam's, Buffalo, NY, USA
  • 1981-05-22: City Limits, Syracuse, NY, USA
  • 1981-05-23: J.B. Scott's, Albany, NY, USA
  • 1981-05-24: Club Casino, Hampton Beach, NH, USA
  • 1981-05-25: Center Stage, East Providence, RI, USA
  • 1981-05-27: Toad's Place, New Haven, CT, USA
  • 1981-05-28: Metro, Boston, MA, USA
  • 1981-05-29: Palladium, New York, NY, USA
  • 1981-05-31: Fast Lane, Asbury Park, NJ, USA

Boy: Leg Five [Europe]

  • 1981-06-06: Friars Club, Aylesbury, England
  • 1981-06-08: Sportpark, Geleen, Netherlands
  • 1981-06-09: Hammersmith Palais, London, England

Related News: Boy Tour

  • "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (1980-11-01)
  • "General News: Rocking and Rolling" (1981-03-28)
  • "All This and U2" (1981-12-12)
  • "Boy for Black Friday, Newly Discovered Show, and More" (2020-11-22)

u2 first tour in us

Timeline : U2

U2 bass player Adam Clayton is born in Oxfordshire, England.

u2 first tour in us

David Evans is born in East London. He later becomes The Edge as a member of U2 .

U2 drummer Larry Mullen is born in Artane, Dublin, Ireland.

British soldiers open fire on 26 unarmed civilians during a peaceful protest march in Derry, Northern Ireland, resulting in 14 deaths. The incident inspires Paul McCartney to write " Give Ireland Back To The Irish " (Wings' debut single) and gives rise to the U2 song " Sunday Bloody Sunday ."

The Irish high school band U2 , which just recently changed their name from The Hype, win the Limerick Civic Week Pop '78 talent competition, earning about $1,000 and a chance to record a demo for CBS Records.

U2 sign a worldwide deal with Island Records. They get about $100,000 for their first album.

U2 release their debut album, Boy , produced by Steve Lillywhite. It doesn't yield any hits but " I Will Follow " becomes one of their most popular songs.

U2 begin their first major tour of the US with two shows at a Washington, DC, club called The Bayou.

U2 release their second album, October . Reflecting their Christian faith, it's filled with allusions to the Bible, notably on the song " Gloria ."

U2 release their third album, War , with " Sunday Bloody Sunday " and " New Year's Day ." It's their first album to sell a million copies in America.

u2 first tour in us

U2 make the cover of Time magazine with the headline "Rock's Hottest Ticket."

U2 's fifth album, The Joshua Tree , hits #1 in America, giving the band their rock star bona fides in that country (they've been huge in their native Ireland for years). It holds the top spot for an impressive nine weeks, finally dethroned by Whitney Houston's Whitney .

U2 break big in America with their first #1 hit in that country, " With Or Without You ," from the album The Joshua Tree . Their next single, " I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For ," follows to #1, cementing their superstar status.

U2 land their second American #1 as " I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For ," from The Joshua Tree , goes to the top.

U2 win their first Grammy Awards, taking Album of the Year and Best Performance by Rock Duo or Group with Vocal for The Joshua Tree .

The U2 documentary Rattle And Hum opens worldwide.

u2 first tour in us

U2 play shorthanded for the only time when bass player Adam Clayton misses a show in Sydney after blacking out from a bender (his tech, Stuart Morgan, fills in). When the tour ends two weeks later, Clayton goes to rehab and gives up alcohol.

U2 , whose video for " Where The Streets Have No Name " comes from a rooftop concert, play another roofie, this time atop the Clarence Hotel in Dublin to play their new songs " Beautiful Day " and " Elevation " for air on Top Of The Pops .

U2 notch their fourth UK #1 hit when " Beautiful Day " beats out Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue's " Kids " for the top spot.

Embracing the Internet at a time when broadband is rare, U2 webcasts a concert from their Elevation tour in South Bend, Indiana, for free on U2.com.

Apple introduces the U2 iPod, the first available in a color other than white (it's black with a red click wheel). It's promoted in a commercial where the band performs their new single, " Vertigo ." This is the first time U2 allow their music be used in commercials and the start of a cozy relationship with Apple, which features their music on the iTunes store.

In New York City, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts Percy Sledge , The O'Jays , U2 , Buddy Guy , and The Pretenders .

U2 launch their 360 tour with a show in Barcelona. 109 shows later, the tour finishes with $735 million in earnings, blowing away the $558 million record set by The Rolling Stones on their 2005-2007 A Bigger Bang tour. Ed Sheeran breaks the record in 2019 when his ÷ (Divide) tour rakes in $775 million.

On the first UK gig of their 360 tour, U2 breaks the Wembley Stadium Attendance record when 88,000 show up. Their "claw" set design allows more fans to fit in the stadium and breaks Rod Stewart 's record of 83,000 set in 1995.

u2 first tour in us

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of their acclaimed 1987 album, The Joshua Tree , U2 embarks upon The Joshua Tree Tour 2017, with an opener in Vancouver, Canada. The band plays through the entire album, including rare treats " Exit " and " Trip Through Your Wires ," which haven't been performed since the '80s, and a live first for " Red Hill Mining Town ."

home | about us | widget

privacy | terms of service

Get the Music History Event of the Day in your inbox.

©2024 Songfacts ® , LLC

I'm far from U2's biggest fan, but watching them perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas was unlike any other concert experience

  • I recently saw U2 play at the Sphere, the revolutionary new music venue in Las Vegas. 
  • While I don't consider myself a huge U2 fan, the immersive visuals and concert really blew me away. 
  • The imagery was stunning, powerful, and thought-provoking. 

Insider Today

On night three of a reporting trip in Las Vegas, wearing a fur coat, plastic lei, and four-inch heels during Super Bowl weekend , I unexpectedly found myself watching U2 at the Sphere .

I hadn't listened to the legendary Irish band since I was a kid, but my boyfriend and I couldn't resist checking out the new venue when we heard ticket prices had hit a record low.

Headline after headline proclaimed that the Sphere was an incredible game changer that would revolutionize live music. How could we resist?

And believe me, it was worth it.

The Sphere kicked things off with a star-studded opening night that attracted everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Jeff Bezos.

u2 first tour in us

That September 29 show was the first of what was supposed to be a 25-night residency for U2, but demand was so high that additional dates were added in 2024. It appears the band's final two shows at the venue, at least for now, will be on Friday and Saturday. Phish and Dead & Company have residencies coming in April and May, and you can still purchase $119 tickets for "The Sphere Experience," which includes a new film from director Darren Aronofsky.

It's been a splashy start for the $2.3 billion venue, which was dreamed up — and mostly paid for — by Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan. The Sphere has frequently gone for fun visuals that now light up the Las Vegas skyline from the colossal glowing orb made with over a million LED lights .

After two days of watching it from my hotel room, I was ready to see what was inside.

There was already a massive line as we walked up to the Sphere the night before the Super Bowl.

u2 first tour in us

Since we got last-minute tickets — which were $215 each that night from a reseller site — and didn't have time to change, I was still wearing my outfit from Gronk Beach, Rob Gronkowski's Super Bowl pre-party  — plastic lei necklace included.

I do not recommend wearing a skirt and heels in 50-degree desert weather, but thankfully, the line for floor tickets appeared to be far shorter (and faster) than those who had bought seats.

After about 10 to 15 minutes of waiting — and many concerned "Aren't you freezing?" questions from strangers — we were in.

I loved the vibe of the Sphere from the moment we walked in.

u2 first tour in us

The atmosphere felt futuristic, with its glossy black walls illuminated by simple but bright neon lights.

We first strolled through a hallway lit up with moody blue lights, which switched to gold as we made our way to the bar. I overheard one stranger tell a friend that he felt like he was in a rocket ship.

The mirrored bar was sleek and modern.

u2 first tour in us

In an over-the-top city where the decoration can veer toward cheesy, the Sphere feels distinct in its cool and crisp minimalism.

The bar on its own was a fun destination to get a drink, and the $20 cocktails were cheaper than what we'd been paying at clubs like XS over the weekend.

Every drink at the Sphere is served in plastic reusable cups.

u2 first tour in us

We ordered a $20 24-ounce Topo Chico to kick off the night and were surprised when our server opened the can and poured it into a large clear cup that read, "Please return me. I'm reusable!"

The server explained that U2 had personally requested a ban on bottles and cans inside the venue. When we asked why, they theorized it was probably so people couldn't throw anything dangerous at the stage — which has happened in recent months to artists like Kelsea Ballerini and Bebe Rexha .

There were also fridges with canned drinks that you could purchase through the Sphere's self-checkout system.

u2 first tour in us

As someone who goes to many concerts and has waited in many long lines for a drink, I was extremely impressed with the Sphere's swift and smooth bar system.

There are also waiters frequently selling drinks on the floor, allowing you to get another round without leaving your spot or missing part of the show.

As we walked onto the floor, I gazed up at the sky-high LED screen that stretched before us.

u2 first tour in us

I took in the massive scale of the Sphere, which measures 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide, according to its website .

For a brief moment, my boyfriend and I thought we were looking at the venue's true interior as we examined the "bolted" panels that went up and down the walls.

When I looked up at the ceiling, I realized we had been fooled by the projection.

u2 first tour in us

A window into the "night sky," envisioned by the LED screen, winked back at me from the ceiling, which felt like it belonged to a grand cathedral.

As the music began, Bono's shadow danced across the walls.

u2 first tour in us

The LED screen frequently projected images of Bono and his bandmates playing throughout the show, a smart tactic that made them look and feel larger than life.

Light burst through the projected panels with each dramatic strum of the guitar and bang on the drums.

u2 first tour in us

I quickly realized you don't have to be a diehard U2 fan — although there were obviously many — to be in awe of what the Sphere can achieve. I've gone to music festivals around the world and seen hundreds of shows, and none of them can compare to the immersion I felt in the Sphere.

The visuals are so powerful and crisp, yet the overall effect isn't overwhelming. Honestly, it's a bit awe-inspiring. And the excitement in the crowd was truly electric as Bono's falsetto — strong and clear as ever — filled the dome.

U2 kicked things off with a handful of tracks from "Achtung Baby," their hit 1991 album.

u2 first tour in us

I silently thanked my dad for my childhood rock-music education as I sang along to most of the songs, even getting a little emotional when Bono started singing "One."

As the band started ripping through their classics, the visuals became more elaborate.

u2 first tour in us

There were multiple tributes to both Las Vegas and Elvis Presley, its most famous resident, as Bono sang snippets of "Love Me Tender" and "Viva Las Vegas."

The vivid details of the images, which often moved and shook with the music, were electric.

u2 first tour in us

I was obviously expecting some cool visuals, but the scope of what we saw at the beginning of U2's show was pretty incredible. The Sphere taps into the visual power that music videos had to further illustrate a song's message at the height of their relevance. It was inspiring to watch that impact return in full force.

And it was also just extremely heartwarming to observe the crowd around us. So many dads were clearly having the time of their lives, downing beer and wrapping their arms around each other's shoulders on their big night out.

There were also some celebrities among the floor crowd. Bono gave a shout-out to Sheryl Crow and Alicia Keys, who attended their set the night before her surprise appearance during Usher's Super Bowl halftime show .

One of the most powerful recurring images was a fire that burned from a tentpole as if it were a waving flag.

u2 first tour in us

The flames burned fast and hard into a night sky as the Edge shredded through his solo in "Until the End of the World."

The show slowed down, in both pace and visuals, during the second half of the band's set.

u2 first tour in us

As Bono launched into some ballads, the energy seemed to drop slightly. There were far fewer visuals, which felt like a bit of a waste of the space to me. If you're going to have the world's largest video screen, you should use it to the fullest.

But I also recognize that this part of the show probably meant more to the real fans. I wasn't as familiar with the songs, and the images focused more on projecting the band rather than dazzling us with powerful pictures or wild graphics.

The drunk woman behind me, at least, was still very excited. Her piercing cheers repeatedly broke through some of the tunes. I guess it truly doesn't matter what genre you prefer — there will be a "Woo! girl" in every music venue.

As the show neared its finale, the burning fire returned.

u2 first tour in us

The fire flag reappeared on the screen with flames that were now a deep shade of pink. As dusk turned to day amid the iconic opening notes of "Where the Streets Have No Name," the flames turned white as the sun shone behind them.

"This looks like Burning Man!" someone yelled right by us.

It was exactly what my boyfriend and I — who witnessed many sunrises on the playa at Burning Man last year — had said to each other just moments before. We immediately turned around to swap stories with him.

An orb peacefully floating in the sea filled the screen as my favorite U2 song began.

u2 first tour in us

I listened to "With or Without You" repeatedly when I was a kid with a cherry-red iPod nano. It is just so damn sad and beautiful.

The orb on the screen got bigger and bigger as the song went on, its core morphing into a kaleidoscope of sepia-tinged birds and butterflies. It seemed, to me at least, that U2 was very intentionally ending their show on a note of hope.

The fire flag was now just one of smoke. The orb in the water, a classic symbol of rebirth, appeared to be the earth growing with the beauty of nature once more.

Soon, the entire screen was filled with images of wildlife.

u2 first tour in us

Eagles, fish, snakes, and butterflies all fluttered above us as U2 launched into "Beautiful Day," the grand finale.

The Sphere's exterior screen burst with color as we left as the animals changed from sepia to rainbow.

u2 first tour in us

It was a fitting end to a beautiful experience, even for two people who hadn't listened to U2 in at least a decade. My boyfriend and I were really blown away by the overall atmosphere of the Sphere and what it can offer to concert lovers.

I can't wait to see what the Sphere does next.

u2 first tour in us

  • Main content

an image, when javascript is unavailable

U2’s Full Sphere Setlist: ‘Achtung Baby’-Centric, but With a Secret Songs (or Secret Album) Segment

Beyond some surprises among the band's choices of their own songs to play, they sprinkled bits of Beatles songs into the mix Friday, in honor of Paul McCartney being in the audience

By Chris Willman

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

  • Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello to Embark on Summer Co-Headlining Tour 14 hours ago
  • Steve Lawrence, Singer and Actor Who Found His Greatest Fame as Half of Steve and Eydie, Dies at 88 1 day ago
  • Shania Twain on Officially Becoming a Barbie, After Having to Choose Between Guitars and Dolls as a Child 2 days ago

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 29: (Exclusive Coverage) Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Bram van den Berg of U2 perform during opening night of U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere on September 29, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)

The first date of U2 ‘s 25-night run at Las Vegas’ Sphere is on the books, and for anyone who doesn’t mind spoilers, the makeup of the setlist can be revealed. (Scroll down to see the full rundown of songs.) Don’t expect all of this to hold during the rest of the engagement, however: There is a mid-section that, judging from what Bono said, may well be different each night during the run.

At first, the design for the mid-section songs wasn’t immediately clear, but Bono finally acknowledged what became evident to fans a little sooner — that those numbers were all from a single album, “Rattle and Hum.” Bono added after the completion of that mini-set that each night during this segment, the band plans to focus on a different album (or possibly other people’s albums, he added, teasingly). This may be, in effect, U2’s version of Taylor Swift’s two-song “secret songs” segment on her Eras Tour, but here, with the bonus tracks grouped together by a vintage LP on given nights.

If it indeed pans out that they are planning on spotlighting a different album from their catalog in that slot every night, that will gives fans an extra reason to wish they could attend more than once… although, given the spectacular nature of the beginning and end of the show, most attendees would be wishing for that even with a setlist that was set in stone.

The reason for selecting “Rattle and Hum” songs on opening night might have been down to that album’s producer, Jimmy Iovine , being in the audience, Bono noted, alongside Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

A surprise for fans — and apparently, for Iovine — came when Bono introduced “All I Want Is You,” saying that he wrote the lyrics as a wedding song from the point of view of a woman… and that he had never told anyone that before, not even Iovine, its producer.

Those weren’t the only homages, as U2 also excerpted the Elvis Presley classic “Love Me Tender,” the Frank Sinatra signature song “My Way,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” and Thin Lizzy’s “Dancing in the Moonlight.” (It’s possible Bono meant for that last snippet to be Morrison’s “Moondance,” coming out of another Morrison song. When he spontaneously instructed Clayton to start playing a song he called out, the bassist launched into the Thin Lizzy oldie — and Bono then quipped that that wasn’t the “moon” song he meant, but it was still a good one,)

The most emotional moment of the evening came when Bono dedicated a song to the family, friends and doctor of the late Jimmy Buffett, who were on hand, singled out by name by the choked-up singer.

A mere setlist doesn’t begin to get at what unfolded visually, of course. Read Variety ‘s full review of the opening-night concert here: U2 Takes to Playing in the Round (the Very, Very Round) at Las Vegas’ Sphere With Spectacular Results: Concert Review .

“Achtung Baby” part 1 1 – Zoo Station 2 – The Fly 3 – Even Better Than the Real Thing 4 – Mysterious Ways 5 – One/Purple Rain/Love Me Tender 6 – Until the End of the World 7 – Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses 8 – Tryin’ to Throw Your Arms Around the World

“Rattle and Hum” interlude 9 – All I Want Is You 10 – Desire/Love Me Do 11 – Angel of Harlem/Into the Mystic/Dancing in the Moonlight 12 – Love Rescue Me

“Achtung Baby” part 2 13 – So Cruel 14 – Acrobat 15 – Ultraviolet (Light My Way) 16 – Love Is Blindness/Viva Las Vegas 

Encore 17 – Elevation/My Way 18 – Atomic City  19 – Vertigo 20 – Where the Streets Have No Name 21 – With or Without You 22 – Beautiful Day/Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)/Blackbird

Read Variety ‘s full account of the creation of Sphere and the making of U2’s show here: U2 Goes Sphere-ical: Behind the Band’s Part in a Bet on a $2 Billion Dome That Could Change Live Music .

More From Our Brands

Ai-generated marilyn monroe answers questions in dead celebrity’s ‘voice and style’, can a wearable help heal trauma this psychiatrist says yes, lions’ jalen reeves-maybin elected nflpa president, the best mattress protectors, according to sleep experts, street’s s.w.a.t. sendoff ends with sweet twist — read alex russell’s farewell message, grade the episode, verify it's you, please log in.

Quantcast

  • Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Live Review

U2 Returns, in Las Vegas Limbo

In the inaugural show at Sphere, a $2.3 billion venue, a band unafraid of pomp and spectacle was sometimes out-pomped and out-spectacled.

Members of U2 are seen onstage, very small at the center of the frame, surrounded by busy and colorful images on an enormous video screen.

By Jon Caramanica

Jon Caramanica saw Friday’s show at Sphere in Las Vegas, and U2’s Zoo TV Tour in 1992.

Perhaps the true gift of Las Vegas is how it renders the extraordinary as mundane. A place where the simulacrum of glamour available to everyone ensures no one gets the real thing. A city responsible for billions of dollars of commerce that has the texture of a Fisher-Price play set. A hub for some of the country’s most beloved performers that blurs the lines between superstar D.J.s, cheeky magicians and bona fide vocal heroes.

And so there was Bono on Friday night, onstage, tantalizingly close, freakishly accessible and, in some moments, perhaps just a tad lost. His band, U2, was inaugurating Sphere, a hyperstimulating new performance venue in which the whole exterior is a screen, and essentially the whole interior as well. Friday’s concert was the first of a 25-show residency, titled U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere, that runs through the end of the year.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, no band played with the aesthetic of grandiosity more than U2, and no band made a philosophy of futurist communication so central to its visual presentation. So the choice of U2 to show off what Sphere was capable of made sense — a messianic band for a messianic venue.

For two hours, the group — Bono, the Edge on guitar, Adam Clayton on bass and Bram van den Berg, filling in for Larry Mullen Jr., on drums — wrestled with a venue equally as obsessed with hugeness, pomp and spectacle as U2 is. The setting was lavish, and the gestures were often colossal. And yet for all the vividness of the setting, there was still something not quite complete about this performance, which at times was winningly small, at others winningly huge, and at still others a futile ramble.

For this show, U2 leaned heavily on its 1991 album “Achtung Baby,” from the tail end of its commercial high point — an album that found the band, which excelled at earthen anthems, reaching for more ambitious and unexpected sounds. But playing it in full (though not in order) meant peaks and valleys. Meshed in vocal harmony on “Mysterious Ways,” Bono and the Edge sounded vibrant. Bono, who throughout the night performed his signature contortions that recall a person who just received an electric shock, was largely delivering his pleading howls with commitment, at least in the show’s first half. Throughout, Clayton was dutiful and stoic, and van den Berg brought a raw fervor that Mullen doesn’t quite approach.

But some of this era’s indelible songs were, here, something less than that: Both the signature ballad “One” and the dreamily tragic “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” felt tentative and less invested than usual. (The same went for the curiously dry version of “Desire” that appeared later in the show.) And a batch of “Achtung Baby” songs that appeared just after the show’s midpoint, including “So Cruel,” “Acrobat” and “Love Is Blindness,” verged on grim and asphyxiating, rendering the huge room inert.

There were a few lovely flourishes where U2 referred to other musicians — sprinkles of “Purple Rain” and “Love Me Tender” at the end of “One”; throaty nods to “My Way” and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” late in the night.

In truth, the performance peaked at the end, with a majestic run: “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “With or Without You,” “Beautiful Day.” And it was here that the band used the venue to most potent effect. Suddenly, the room was bright, as if a nightclub performance had been yanked out into nature — you could really see the audience, consisting largely of 40- and 50-somethings, including huge smatterings of loyalists in vintage U2 shirts and Vegas bros in tight Dan Flashes get-ups.

It was a welcome and thoughtful recalibration of band to room, and audience to band. Just before then, during the new song “Atomic City,” the entire screen was an uncannily clear street view of Las Vegas, with the buildings being slowly dismantled through the course of the song, a clever visual gimmick. (For some parts of the show, the band hardly used the sphere at all, or only to display building-high videos of themselves.)

Earlier in the set, U2 had used the screen just as aggressively but to less potent effect, making it plain how daunting a blank slate of this size can be. At one point a long rope — perhaps a nod to a magician’s endless handkerchief — was strung from the floor up to the peak of the dome, where it intersected with a balloon illustration. A young woman came onstage to walk with Bono as he, and then she, held the bottom of the rope. For a time she sat in it like a swing, awkwardly and perhaps not terribly safely. It was confusing and distracting.

When the screen was full, it was often cluttered — with Barbara Kruger-esque phrases, during “The Fly,” or with digitally crisp art that could have been cooked up on an A.I. generator like Midjourney. (The illustrated endangered animals that appeared in the sky near the end of the show were an exception.) Sometimes things delved into the realm of discomfort: During “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” the screen filled with Vegas iconography and characters from films based in the city (Elvis Presley, but also Don Cheadle and Nicolas Cage). The collage streamed downward, as if it were falling behind the stage, which in turn made the stage appear as if it were tilting slightly upward, lending the whole affair the air of seasickness.

Moments like these underscored that, as much as U2 was playing a concert, it was providing a soundtrack for Sphere’s technological wizardry. And also its technological quirks. The four spotlights behind the stage were mobile. A drone whizzed around, gnat-like, though it was unclear where the footage it was presumably filming was destined for. This isn’t quite a conceptual spectacle like the Zoo TV Tour , the original “Achtung Baby” showcase.

Sphere is the brainchild of James Dolan, a broadly reviled New York sports and real estate magnate, who spent $2.3 billion bringing the space to life. It looks prescient , a glimpse of what even ordinary architecture might resemble a few decades hence. The entire outside surface is an LED screen — always on, and always changing (though it repeats). Watching it from the windows of a landing airplane, say, or a taxicab the night before this show, you might have seen it as a pumpkin, or a yellow emoji face, or a moist eye, or an ocean with creatures swimming through it.

Impressively detailed and lightly shocking, Sphere registers in intensity if not scale — at 366 feet, it is not even one of the 40 tallest buildings in Las Vegas. But on some level, its power is grounded simply in the novelty of the shape, even in a town that already has a pyramid and a palace and a castle. (Dolan has already indicated plans to build similar structures in other cities.)

But inside it is, simply, a concert venue, albeit one with distinct advantages and challenges. In dry stretches, when the space between the band and the huge screen and the crowd was palpable, the result paralleled the airy emptiness of a corporate convention gig. In a stadium show, you can almost obscure a low-enthusiasm performance — here there was nowhere to hide.

That’s because, despite the visual ambition the space demands, little of that burden falls on the band itself, which is largely confined to the size of stage one might find in any regional theater across the country (augmented by a Brian Eno-inspired turntable structure, though it wasn’t used terribly effectively). It is a strangely vulnerable and inelegant setup for what is essentially a sinecure gig for a still-craved band.

At the end of the night, Bono began cataloging his thanks. “I’ll tell you who’s one hard worker — Jim Dolan,” Bono said. “You’re one mad bastard.” He also thanked Irving and Jeffrey Azoff, Michael Rapino, Guy Oseary, Jimmy Iovine and other executives. Earlier, he’d acknowledged some special guests: Paul McCartney, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg. (Also in the audience, though not acknowledged: Flavor Flav.)

It was a folksy way to spotlight the sheer extent of the labor, visible and invisible, that had just been performed. And it also highlighted the tension that remained, even at the end of the night, unresolved: Was this a big show or a small one? Was it selling intimacy or grandeur? Was it extraordinarily mundane, or mundanely extraordinary?

Jon Caramanica is a pop music critic for The Times and the host of the “Popcast” podcast. He also writes the men's Critical Shopper column for Styles. He previously worked for Vibe magazine, and has written for the Village Voice, Spin, XXL and more. More about Jon Caramanica

Find the Right Soundtrack for You

Trying to expand your musical horizons take a listen to something new..

The Black Crowes  are back, and bygones are bygones.

5 minutes that will make you love Don Cherry .

Zach Bryan ’s Quittin Time Tour is a Critic’s Pick.

St. Vincent channels Nine Inch Nails. Hear 12 new songs  on the Playlist.

Kim Gordon ’s coolest act yet.

  • International edition
  • Australia edition
  • Europe edition

‘Amazing visual sleight of hand’ … U2 performing in the Sphere, Las Vegas

U2 review – an utterly astonishing, admirably raw Vegas extravaganza

Sphere at the Venetian Resort, Las Vegas Playing Achtung Baby interspersed with other hits, the band use slick LED displays to eye-popping effect while remaining unpredictable

U2 have never been a band noted for their love of shy understatement, but even by their standards, their arrival in Las Vegas represents a hitherto-unimagined degree of grandiosity.

They unveil not just an entire venue – the 18,000 seat Sphere, its exterior completely covered in LED screens that turn it different colours, flash up QR codes and occasionally transform it into a giant emoji face, leering over the Las Vegas strip – but also a vast overhead walkway that links it to the Venetian Resort (hotels are tireless in their efforts to stop patrons going outside, an activity that carries with it the danger you might spend your money somewhere else). The interior of the concert hall is completely covered in LED screens, too. They stretch out far above the band and over the audience’s heads, the better to provide a sequence of genuinely astonishing visual effects.

A person walks in front of the round Sphere venue covered in a promotion for the U2 show

Some big, rather arty names have been involved in the visuals, among them Es Devlin and Brian Eno, and there’s a moment early on when the screens flash up a preponderance of aphorisms that recall Jenny Holzer’s text-based installations – WORK IS THE BLACKMAIL OF SURVIVAL, TASTE IS THE ENEMY OF ART, ENJOY THE SURFACE – but ultimately, it’s all about spectacle, which it provides in jaw-dropping spades. During The Fly, the visuals appear to descend from the roof of the auditorium, creating a fake ceiling made of pulsing numbers. During Even Better Than the Real Thing, they give the disorientating impression that the stage and the standing audience around it are slowly moving upwards: an amazing bit of visual sleight of hand that leaves you slightly queasy. “What a fancy pad,” offers Bono, casting his eyes around the venue. “Look at all this … stuff.”

Of course, there are dangers inherent in all this stuff. On the most prosaic level, there’s the section in the show when what appears to be a giant rope made of knotted sheets ascends to the roof and transforms itself into a swing. Bono selects a fan from the front row in an echo of U2’s fabled Live Aid performance, seats them in the swing and pushes them out over the audience: with the best will in the world, this seems less like stagecraft than an injury lawsuit waiting to happen. But there’s also the risk that U2 themselves will be not just literally be dwarfed by the visuals, which they obviously are, but overshadowed by them, the music merely an accompaniment to a vastly expensive and impressive light show.

The immersive screen displays a large BELIEVE sign in red and white letters

That this doesn’t happen probably has something to do with smart song selection – billed as a performance of their 1991 album Achtung Baby in full, it’s actually slightly more complicated than that, the album reorganised and split into segments separated by other tracks, which means you’re never that far from a nailed-on hit: Desire, Where the Streets Have No Name, All I Want Is You – and something to do with the appealingly ramshackle nature of their performance.

There’s always the chance that these rough edges are down to first night nerves – this is a show reliant on a lot of technology, which can obviously go wrong – or the fact that, as Bono points out, it’s the first U2 gig in 45 years that doesn’t have Larry Mullen playing the drums. Or, indeed, the fact that U2 are, in effect, playing against type. By their stadium-packing standards, an audience of 18,000 counts as intimate; it doesn’t involve their special skill of projecting their music to row ZZ in a vast outdoor venue.

But it seems more likely that this off-the-cuff performance is an entirely deliberate ploy to disrupt the show’s hi-tech gloss with a degree of unpredictability; to wrestle attention away from the visuals and underline that theirs is not a choreographed, by-numbers performance: at one point, Bono launches them into a slightly chaotic cover of Thin Lizzy’s Dancing in the Moonlight, “for all the Irish in the audience”, to the visible surprise of the bassist, Adam Clayton. It’s one of a number of unexpected diversions, some of which key into the entertainment history of their temporary home, although their brief charge through My Way audibly has more to do with Sid Vicious’s sneery take on the song than the version by the former Vegas stalwart Frank Sinatra.

A view of the band from the audience with sepia images around them of wildlife such as birds, butterflies, snakes and fish

This cocktail of eye-popping visuals and slightly unruly performances absolutely works, allaying any concerns that a band from the post-punk era and the old showbiz connotations of a residency in Las Vegas constitute a slightly uncomfortable fit, regardless of how many millions of records the band has sold, or how mainstream an audience they’ve attracted in the interim. Indeed, it works so well that, like Abba’s Voyage show , you leave feeling confident this is an idea others are going to copy: clearly other rock bands are going to turn up to the Sphere in the future, bearing performances big on dazzling technology. Whether they’ll be as dazzling, or indeed as charming as this, time will show.

  • Pop and rock
  • live music reviews

More on this story

u2 first tour in us

‘We only agreed to do it if they shook hands’: Bono on the gig that helped end the Troubles

u2 first tour in us

Bono says pressure to look ‘macho’ made him hide his love of Abba

u2 first tour in us

Bono finally admits to liking Abba. It’s a sure sign of maturity

u2 first tour in us

U2 Songs of Surrender review – all the anthems, but smaller

u2 first tour in us

Kiss the Future review – Bono and U2 keep hope alive in Sarajevo

u2 first tour in us

Bono review – U2 frontman’s pared back ‘solo in Soho’ show is a triumph

u2 first tour in us

Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono review – from Boy to Mandela

u2 first tour in us

Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono review – a rattling good yarn

u2 first tour in us

Bono on the birth of U2, that iTunes album and Live Aid: ‘There’s only one thing I can see when I watch it: the mullet’

u2 first tour in us

‘She was never spoken of again’: Bono recounts his mother’s death in new memoir

Comments (…), most viewed.

an image, when javascript is unavailable

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

Bono dedicates u2 song “all i want is you” to first lady jill biden during final sphere performance.

The rockers also broke from the ‘Achtung Baby’ album to perform a new rendition of the Crowded House hit "Don’t Dream It’s Over" (with help from Neil Finn) in dedication to Alexei Navalny’s widow, Yulia.

By Chris Gardner

Chris Gardner

  • Share this article on Facebook
  • Share this article on Twitter
  • Share this article on Flipboard
  • Share this article on Email
  • Show additional share options
  • Share this article on Linkedin
  • Share this article on Pinit
  • Share this article on Reddit
  • Share this article on Tumblr
  • Share this article on Whatsapp
  • Share this article on Print
  • Share this article on Comment

U2 performs at the Sphere in Las Vegas during the band's residency to open the venue.

U2 wrapped the inaugural residency at Las Vegas ‘ $2.3 billion technical and visual marvel Sphere this weekend, closing out a 40-show run that started in September. Fittingly, the legendary band did so by bringing things full circle.

Related Stories

Oliver stone was linked to planned series of pro-dictator docs, filmart: ambitious philippine crime series 'the bagman' begins production.

“There would be no Achtung Baby without Daniel Lanois,” Bono said in welcoming him up the back stairs with a request to the audience. “Show him your light,” and they did by holding up smartphone flashbulbs in a beautiful scene. And there would be no U2 without Mullen, who was given a special shout-out from the band during both the Friday and Saturday night performances at Sphere, located at The Venetian Resort. But it was Friday that the following happened.

“The rumors that Larry will be playing with us tonight are not true, sadly. But he is here with us,” Bono said of the drummer, who spent 2023 recuperating from surgery and injuries he sustained over a career rocking out. “That is the man who pinned the note on the notice board at Mount Temple Comprehensive School all those years ago. We are very grateful that he did, and that he’s here with us tonight. We wish him a speedy, speedy, speedy recovery. We love you, Larry Mullen Jr.”

“What an incredible night at Sphere-So Grateful to Bono Edge and Adam and of course Bram for an amazing job-very emotional night for me personally” • Larry Mullen Jr. 📸: @richfury pic.twitter.com/49nOz4Mpbt — U2 (@U2) March 2, 2024

But there was one more extra-special VIP in attendance. Ahead of performing “All I Want Is You,” a song from their 1988 album Rattle and Hum , Bono had a few words to say and some news to break about that boldfaced name in the building.

“This song, when we wrote it, I tried to write the lyrics from the point of view of the woman or the bride, in this case, which is pretty arrogant, I suppose. That was a trick for me to get to the lyric I was playing on myself,” explained Bono. “Tonight, I want to dedicate it to all the great women in our lives — our partners, our mothers, our daughters, all the women on the U2 crew, all the great women in our audience that we feel we know, and all the great women in parts of the world going through very difficult circumstances that we could never know. And one woman in particular who is with us tonight, she’s a teacher. She’s your first lady, so this is for Jill Biden .”

SOME NEWS: Bono takes U2 on a break from Achtung Baby to perform “All I Want is You” and dedicates song to all women in world, on their crew, women experiencing hardship in world. Then he dedicates it to special guest in Sphere audience…”your First Lady, Jill Biden.” pic.twitter.com/CF4nGlYmYV — Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) March 3, 2024

Saturday night’s show, which kicked off at 9 p.m. following an opening DJ set from Pauli Lovejoy, aka Pauli the PSM, also featured other notable moments. U2 closed out the concert by playing “40,” a 1983 tune from War that they previously leaned on to close many gigs during the 1980s. In another fitting moment, it was the 40th show. “It’s been 40 days and 40 nights in the desert,” Bono noted. “What’s a fellow with a messianic complex going to do? Here’s a song we wrote in 40 minutes. I opened up the sacred text of the Psalm of David. I just kind of read it out. That was the lyric.”

40 days in the desert … pic.twitter.com/DutRuUDOS1 — U2 (@U2) March 3, 2024

Closer to the top of the show, Bono explained how the band was feeling at the end of this groundbreaking run. “Look where we get to go to work. Welcome to the last night of Achtung Baby at the Sphere. This evening we are not just getting married in an Elvis chapel, we are getting married in an Elvis cathedral. We are feeling very much alive. Grateful to be alive, and in quite a flirtatious mood actually.”

“This is a tightly constructed show, but as it’s our last night, we wondered if it might be OK to experiment on you a little bit. The idea is to record something special to honor Alexei Navalny’s widow, Yulia, who is continuing a fight against Vladimir Putin for a free, free Russia, which is what we want for the Russian people,” Bono announced in setting up the special moment. “The other day we got a beautiful email from Neil Finn, who wrote this bewildering beautiful song and he attached to the email a version of this song that he said we could play on or whatever we wanted. It’s a new version that he did, and we thought if we are going to record it, well, maybe if you would be on that recording and we could make that session the last night recording session and dedicating it to Yulia.”

He called the track “a song about freedom,” and before they got going, he made a request of the audience. “Let’s try and record this if we might. Neither parties have spoken to our record labels, so this might be the only recording that ever exists so please take out your phones and send it to whoever loves freedom that you know,” Bono said of the recording, seen in its entirety below. “And maybe send it to some people that don’t — there’s a few of them around.”

NEWS: Bono announces they will break from Achtung Baby for experiment: Next song will be recorded as they perform new rendition of Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream it’s Over” thanks to Neil Finn who sent in vocals so they could dedicate it to Alexei Navalny widow Yulia. For freedom! pic.twitter.com/kv0Mma41jb — Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) March 3, 2024

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Treat williams’ death: driver pleads guilty to reduced charge in vermont crash that killed actor, ai version of marilyn monroe unveiled at sxsw, meet harpoon, the social media firm changing the landscape, ‘barbie,’ ‘the bear’ among winners of casting society’s 39th annual artios awards, house committee unanimously advances bill that could make tiktok unavailable in u.s., akira toriyama, manga artist and creator of ‘dragon ball’ series, dies at 68.

Quantcast

More From Forbes

U2 releases new video to thank fans for incredible success in las vegas.

  • Share to Facebook
  • Share to Twitter
  • Share to Linkedin

An advertisement for Irish band U2 live at the Sphere is displayed on the arena in Las Vegas, Nevada ... [+] on February 7, 2024. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

U2 recently wrapped their first residency in Las Vegas, and they’re thanking the many thousands of fans who turned up and made it a success. The rock band recently released a video that features a performance of one of their biggest hits, as well as a special message for their most die-hard supporters.

The clip, posted to U2’s YouTube page, sees the Irish rockers performing “Beautiful Day” and is shot like a proper live music video. The visual was filmed during their U2:UV Achtung Baby, Live At Sphere residency, which concluded just a few days ago on March 2.

In the video, frontman Bono sings the smash single and then speaks directly to not only the thousands who were in attendance at that specific show, but to the many more who will catch it online. “We know a lot of you traveled a great distance to get us to our destination,” the rocker’s speech began. He added, simply, “Thank you for all the trouble of getting here.”

Bono then recognized the efforts of their team, and though he didn’t call out most people specifically—as there are surely a lot of them—he did his best to show his love for their time and attention. “Thank you to all the people who looked after us in Las Vegas, the incredible, hard-working people,” he started, before tacking on one more thank you to “our own crew.”

Samsung Just Gave Millions Of Galaxy Users A Reason To Buy An iPhone

Apple confirms impressive macbook air special offer, real madrid legend attacks vinicius jr.

Bono then did go out of his way to thank a few people by name, such as those who mixed the sound and handled the visuals, which made the residency historic and so spectacular. The Grammy champion’s short speech ended on a lovely note, as he said that as a band, “we really appreciate this.” He concluded with one final comment, that “it is a beautiful life.”

The video posted to YouTube then cuts to a shot of the Sphere from the outside, at what must have been around the time that Bono was speaking. The dome-shaped venue, which is completely covered in LED screens, featured a message that reiterated what he had just been saying, but much more colorfully. “Thank you Las Vegas” read the outside of the massive building.

The group’s U2:UV Achtung Baby, Live At Sphere was the first run of shows at the new multi-billion-dollar Sphere venue in Las Vegas. U2 got to show the world what the inside of the high-tech spot looks like, and the streak of concerts was hugely successful, both commercially and critically. The beloved pop-rock outfit started its venture in September 2023, and after extending it several times and adding more shows, they finally finished in early March 2024.

Next up for the Sphere is a four-date run of shows from Phish. The jam band is expected to bring their signature sound and style to Las Vegas in April. The following month, Dead & Company will launch their own residency, Dead Forever Live at Sphere, which so far features 24 dates that run into July.

Hugh McIntyre

  • Editorial Standards
  • Reprints & Permissions

U2 brings swagger, iconic songs to Sphere Las Vegas in jaw-dropping concert spectacle

u2 first tour in us

LAS VEGAS – Believe the hype.

Regardless of what happens at the multibillion-dollar Las Vegas behemoth following U2’s opening rush of shows over the next three months , the band’s “ U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere ” performance is a marvel.

To call Sphere a spectacle doesn’t do justice to the structure that, at 516-feet wide and 366 feet tall, takes up about two city blocks and is taller than a football field is long. It's the world’s largest spherical shaped venue according to designers and its walls of video screens envelop the audience in a visual embrace and pristine, isolated sound.

It’s IMAX meets the Death Star – with a lot of swagger, a head trip of artsy graphics and a trove of heartfelt songs.

When the lights dropped at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 29 for the inaugural Sphere event, U2 entered from the back of the clean, airy stage designed to look like a turntable in homage to a Brian Eno art project. Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Bram van den Berg, who was announced from the first rumblings of this 25-date run as the fill-in drummer for health-sidelined Larry Mullen Jr. , strolled onstage.

More: U2 rerecorded 40 songs. Here's why and which tracks really work.

Bono, strutting and waving his microphone, quickly donned the trademark eye wear of his alter ego The Fly for “Zoo Station,” the first track from the band’s “ Achtung Baby” album and the anchor for these Vegas shows, the band’s first live performances in four years.

That 1991 classic was played in its entirety as advertised, but U2 shuffled the track listing, diving into “The Fly” as words such as “Patience,” “Destiny” and “Truth” flashed on towering screens in neon and hundreds of colored numbers and letters zipped to the pinnacle of the dome of the Sphere.

With so many memorable visual stunners, it’s tough to pinpoint the cleverest, but the mega-sized video of Elvis Presley meshed with scenes of old Las Vegas and close-ups of U2 floating in bubbles during “Even Better Than the Real Thing” is a front-runner.

Bono and the boys have always been vocal about their affection for the classics, and their show includes several nods – some more subtle than others – to their Vegas forebears.

“Look at all this stuff,” Bono said, scanning the 17,000-plus crowd and the graphics surrounding the band. “Elvis has definitely NOT left this building. It’s an Elvis cathedral and tonight there is a password to enter: flirtation.”

That introduction led to the slinky guitar lines of “Mysterious Ways,” with Clayton holding down the sexy low end of the song on bass and the Edge, knit cap firmly in place, looming over the crowd on screen.

Elsewhere in the two-hour show – which included a celebrity squad including Sir Paul McCartney , Dr. Dre , Snoop Dogg , Connie Britton, Jon Hamm and Bryan Cranston – Bono detoured into a stripped version of Presley's “Love Me Tender” at the close of “One,” nodded to Van Morrison with some of “Into the Mystic” tucked into “Angel of Harlem” and unveiled Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” as a prelude to “Atomic City,” their swinging new rock song inspired by Las Vegas.

Dedications were rife as well, as Bono, in fine, muscular voice, bowed to McCartney with “Desire” (“Just know that we love you and we’ve stolen a lot of your songs,” Bono teased) and saluted the late Jimmy Buffett, whose family was also in attendance, with a sweet rendition of the rarely played “Love Rescue Me.”

“It’s so hard to say goodbye to someone,” Bono said, choking up while speaking.

He also noted that these were the first shows U2 has played without Mullen since 1978 and added a dedication of “All I Want is You” to the band’s drummer and founder. The steady van den Berg isn’t as light a touch on the snare as Mullen, who is recovering from various neck, knee and elbow issues, but the Dutchman proved a proficient substitute.

Several times during the night, Bono, a man with a band that has played the biggest crowds and venues in the world, appeared overcome with emotion and in awe of the surroundings, but much joy emanated from the stage.

While not every song from “Achtung” is normally worth a set list appearance, to hear album cuts “Tryin’ To Throw Your Arms Around the World” – last played live in 1993 – and “So Cruel” was a windfall for diehard fans.

Meanwhile, the more casual U2 follower was rewarded with a 30-minute feast of favorites following “Love is Blindness,” the last song on “Achtung” played as images of bugs and butterflies crept into focus on the surrounding screens.

The vibrant “Elevation” kickstarted the final sprint and, while not as kinetic as the houselights-up opening from 2001’s tour of the same name, was nonetheless an explosive roar of sound and illuminations.

Helicopters hovered overhead on screen for the slashing “Vertigo,” the band projected in spotlights blasting from the bottom of the digital aircraft, while a crystal-clear desertscape and sunburst stretched the entire width of the building for the ringing anthem, “Where the Streets Have No Name.”

It’s fair to wonder if such a gargantuan production eclipses a band. Not this one. Especially since some of the most moving moments were in the small details and the inherent earnestness of U2’s music.

The Sphere is a mighty structure, no doubt. But U2 turns it into an experience.

More: U2 shocks Vegas fans with pop-up concert on Fremont Street ahead of MSG Sphere residency

u2 first tour in us

  • Hearts + Minds
  • Sign Up / Sign In

First Slide

Latest News

u2 first tour in us

It was a Beautiful Day. All forty of them. Thank you Las Vegas.

u2 first tour in us

'How long to sing this song?' 

u2 first tour in us

A rapturous Sphere reception when Bono invited Larry to take a bow at last nights penultimate show in Vegas.

u2 first tour in us

U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere - 40

  • Terms + Conditions
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

ClutchPoints

U2 play surprise song with Chris Rock twist at Sphere

A t last night’s U2 show at the Sphere , the band paid tribute to Chris Rock , who was in attendance. Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton broke out a deep cut from their A Celebration single.

“Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl” 

During the acoustic turntable set, U2 began with two staples of their Sphere residency, “All I Want Is You” and “Desire.” The next song, though, was a huge surprise. They broke out “Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl” for the first time since 2015’s “Innocence + Experience” tour.

After the song, they then sang “Happy Birthday to You” for Rock. U2 closed out the acoustic set by playing “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House.

The rest of the setlist followed U2’s general Sphere setlists. They closed out the set with the remaining four tracks of Achtung Baby (“Acrobat”; “So Cruel”; “Ultraviolet (Light My Way)”; and “Love Is Blindness”) and their six-song encore.

Chris Rock first gained notoriety for his role on Saturday Night Live (SNL). He also starred in Everybody Hates Chris from 2005-09. Rock was one of the lead characters in the Madagascar franchise and he also starred in Grown Ups, a season of Fargo, and Spiral.

U2 is currently playing their first-ever concert residency at the Sphere. During these shows, they play their 1991 album, Achtung Baby, in full for the first time in concert. Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton are joined by Bram van den Berg for these shows. Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. is sitting out of these shows due to recovery from health issues.

The post U2 play surprise song with Chris Rock twist at Sphere appeared first on ClutchPoints .

2/8/24

IMAGES

  1. Find the Facts You're Looking For About The Joshua Tree, U2's Iconic

    u2 first tour in us

  2. U2 War Tour Us Festival 1983 remastered Devore, CA

    u2 first tour in us

  3. U2 Play 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' in 1983

    u2 first tour in us

  4. U2start.com

    u2 first tour in us

  5. On tour with U2: How the iconic band is using new tech to make its

    u2 first tour in us

  6. U2start.com

    u2 first tour in us

VIDEO

  1. U2 London 2009-08-15 Leaving Stage

  2. U2 🫶🏻

  3. u2🤙

  4. U2

  5. ‘At rehearsals…’ #U2 #U2songsofexperience #U2eiTour

  6. U2

COMMENTS

  1. Timeline of U2

    24 January - 28 February: U2 play dates in the United Kingdom and play their first tour of continental Europe. [28] 3 March: Boy is released in the United States. [citation needed] 3 March - 31 May: U2 commence their first major tour of the United States playing almost 60 dates across the country largely in clubs.

  2. Setlist History: U2's First North America Show 37 Years Ago Today

    While 1980's Boy doesn't feature any of the band's classics such as, " One ," " Sunday Bloody Sunday, " or " With or Without You ," the opening track, "I Will Follow," is their second most performed song of all time, according to our records. U2's Boy Tour wrapped up in 1981 with a total of 151 performances.

  3. U2 Concert & Tour History (Updated for 2024)

    U2 is an Irish alternative rock band from Dublin formed in 1976. The group consists of Bono (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), the Edge (lead guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen Jr. (drums and percussion). Initially rooted in post-punk, U2's musical style evolved throughout their career, yet has maintained an anthemic sound built on Bono's ...

  4. The Unforgettable Fire Tour

    The Unforgettable Fire Tour. The Unforgettable Fire Tour was a concert tour by Irish rock band U2 that took place in 1984 and 1985 in support of band's album The Unforgettable Fire. Beginning in August 1984 with the band's first tour to Australia and New Zealand, the tour spanned four further legs which included 43 concerts in Europe and 50 in ...

  5. U2 Tour History: Journey Through Decades of Unforgettable Concerts

    Write For Us. Embark on a captivating journey through U2's extensive tour history, spanning decades of electrifying concerts and global performances. Delve into the evolution of their live shows, iconic setlists, and the unparalleled energy that has made U2 a touring phenomenon. Explore the milestones, memorable moments, and destinations that ...

  6. U2 Play 'Out of Control' on 1981 'Boy' Tour: Watch

    Flashback: U2 Play Frenetic 'Out of Control' on 1981 'Boy' Tour Now that fans have discovered the group's earliest concert recording, take a look back to U2's first big American tour By ...

  7. U2 Tour overview

    Welcome to our comprehensive historical database of U2's tours. It is the largest setlist archive on the Internet and contains sets from U2's very first concert to the most recent. Where possible, we provide information beyond the songs played: snippets, soundchecked songs, concert runtime, statistical observations, and trivia are given for ...

  8. U2

    The War Tour was U2's first profitable tour, grossing about US$2 million. The Unforgettable Fire and Live Aid (1984-1985) With their record deal with Island Records coming to an end, U2 signed a more lucrative extension in 1984. They negotiated the return of the copyrights of their songs, an increase in their royalty rate, and a general ...

  9. U2 in Atlanta: An oral history of the band and the city's shared

    In anticipation of U2's first Atlanta concert in nine years, two generations of Georgians talk about the band. 1981-1985. Early days, Unforgettable fire, and the reach of Live Aid. Between 1981 ...

  10. u2songs

    The Boy Tour was the first tour to take U2 to North America, playing a small handful of shows in December 1980 throughout the USA, with one stop in Canada. Boy: Leg One [UK and Europe] The first leg of the tour saw U2 visiting clubs throughout the UK, starting with an appearance in Coventry, and wrapping up the UK leg of the tour on October 11 ...

  11. Timeline : U2

    U2 begin their first major tour of the US with two shows at a Washington, DC, club called The Bayou. October 12, 1981. U2 release their second album, October. ... On the first UK gig of their 360 tour, U2 breaks the Wembley Stadium Attendance record when 88,000 show up.

  12. U2 > Tour

    U2 Shop. US Shop; UK Shop; ... 'U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere' - January, February, March 2024 'U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere', a first-of-its-kind live music experience, sees the world's biggest rock band launch the world's most cutting edge venue, Sphere at The Venetian in Las Vegas. ... U2 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour. 2018. 11 ...

  13. U2 > News > Into 2024... 11 More Dates

    19 Oct 2023. And into 2024... 11 More Dates. Following the record-setting, unprecedented launch of ' U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere ', Sphere Entertainment Co. and Live Nation today announced an additional 11 dates for January and February 2024. The additional dates are:

  14. I Watched U2 Perform at the Las Vegas Sphere + Review

    That September 29 show was the first of what was supposed to be a 25-night residency for U2, but demand was so high that additional dates were added in 2024. ... Since we got last-minute tickets ...

  15. U2 > Tours > Boy Tour

    Debut American gig at The Ritz in New York. 27 July, 1980. Play to 15,000 at first open-air festival in Ireland. Play to 15,000 at first open-air festival in Ireland with The Police and Squeeze. 2. The official U2 website with all the latest news, video, audio, lyrics, photos, tour dates and ticket information.

  16. U2's Full Setlist From Opening Night at Sphere in Las Vegas

    9 - All I Want Is You. 10 - Desire/Love Me Do. 11 - Angel of Harlem/Into the Mystic/Dancing in the Moonlight. 12 - Love Rescue Me. "Achtung Baby" part 2. 13 - So Cruel. 14 ...

  17. U2 Returns, in Las Vegas Limbo

    U2 Returns, in Las Vegas Limbo. In the inaugural show at Sphere, a $2.3 billion venue, a band unafraid of pomp and spectacle was sometimes out-pomped and out-spectacled. 103. U2 performing at ...

  18. U2 Tickets, 2024 Concert Tour Dates

    Few bands in rock music history have reached the level of superstardom (and have maintained the staying power) of Dublin-based band U2. Due to a winning combination of innovative, ever-evolving songwriting, spectacular live shows, and front-man Bono's penchant for political/humanitarian endeavors, U2 have managed to remain an A-list act since emerging onto the music scene with their debut ...

  19. U2 review

    U2 have never been a band noted for their love of shy understatement, but even by their standards, their arrival in Las Vegas represents a hitherto-unimagined degree of grandiosity. They unveil ...

  20. U2 shock fans; play song for first time in 23 years at Sphere show

    U2 last played it on November 28, 2001, during a show on their "Elevation" tour in St. Louis, Missouri. The Edge also performed a rendition of the song on the band's Songs of Surrender, an ...

  21. Bono Dedicates U2 Song "All I Want Is You" to First Lady Jill Biden

    U2 wrapped the inaugural residency at Las Vegas' $2.3 billion technical and visual marvel Sphere this weekend, closing out a 40-show run that started in September. Fittingly, the legendary band ...

  22. Boy (album)

    Boy is the debut studio album by Irish rock band U2.It was produced by Steve Lillywhite and was released on 20 October 1980 by Island Records. Boy contains songs from the band's 40-song repertoire at the time, including two tracks that were re-recorded from their original versions on the group's debut release, the EP Three.. Boy was recorded from July to September 1980 at Dublin's Windmill ...

  23. U2 Releases New Video To Thank Fans For Incredible Success In ...

    The clip, posted to U2's YouTube page, sees the Irish rockers performing "Beautiful Day" and is shot like a proper live music video. The visual was filmed during their U2:UV Achtung Baby ...

  24. U2 Play 'One' With Daniel Lanois and Break Out Fan Favorite '40 ...

    U2 closed out the final night of their Las Vegas Sphere residency by playing the War deep cut "40" for the first time since 2016. The 1983 tune closed out countless U2 shows throughout the ...

  25. U2 Will Make GRAMMY History At The 2024 GRAMMYs With The First-Ever

    The globally influential, 22-time GRAMMY-winning legends U2 have been announced as performers at the 2024 GRAMMYs where they will deliver a special, history-making performance from Sphere in Las Vegas. The event will also feature a special awards presentation. The news, announced today on social media, expands on U2's pioneering, record-setting run of their "U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere ...

  26. U2 opens Sphere Las Vegas with stunning spectacle: Review

    When the lights dropped at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 29 for the inaugural Sphere event, U2 entered from the back of the clean, airy stage designed to look like a turntable in homage to a Brian Eno art project.

  27. U2 > Home

    The official U2 website with all the latest news, video, audio, lyrics, photos, tour dates and ticket information.

  28. Category:U2 concert tours

    U. U2 360° Tour. U2 concert in Sarajevo. U2-3 Tour. The Unforgettable Fire Tour.

  29. Ticket prices to see U2 at Las Vegas' Sphere drop to new low

    Exhibit A: For the first time in months, fans can snag seats to see Rock and Roll Hall of Famers U2 live as part of their ongoing residency at Sphere for under $250. Based on our findings, at the...

  30. U2 play surprise song with Chris Rock twist at Sphere

    U2 is currently playing their first-ever concert residency at the Sphere. During these shows, they play their 1991 album, Achtung Baby, in full for the first time in concert.