U2's Dublin setlist, 23/11
Today U2 performed the opening night of four hometown shows at the 3Arena in Dublin. These shows are their first in Dublin since 2009. Extraordinarily, the last time U2 performed a regular tour show at an indoor venue in Dublin - or anywhere in the Republic of Ireland - was the legendary 31 December 1989 show on Lovetown. That concert was played at the Point Depot, the smaller former venue located on the site now occupied by the 3Arena.
That said, the 3Arena's unusual shape has necessitated changes to U2's regular Innocence + Experience Tour stage. The E stage has been moved much closer to the main stage, with the catwalk continuing beyond it towards the seated section of the crowd. This required small modifications to how Until The End Of The World, Invisible, and Even Better Than The Real Thing are staged.
There was one change to the first set from the most recent show in Belfast, with The Electric Co. rotating into second after missing one show. For the first time, Raised By Wolves was performed in Dublin; its verses describe the Talbot Street bombing, one of the four events that comprise the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974. Relatives of the victims were in attendance tonight.
During the second set, both Elevation and Sweetest Thing returned after absences of one show each. Another song back after missing a show was One, to round out the encore.
Throughout the show Bono made hometown references. In particular, the usual speech before Iris was modified. Bono said that the band have been travelling the world trying to introduce and explain the north side of Dublin to people, but that he did not have to do that tonight.
The full setlist was:
- The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)
- The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet) / I Can See For Miles (snippet) / Live Forever (snippet)
- Vertigo
- I Will Follow / Mother (snippet)
- Iris (Hold Me Close) / Hold Me Close (snippet)
- Cedarwood Road
- Song For Someone
- Sunday Bloody Sunday / When Johnny Comes Marching Home (snippet)
- Raised By Wolves / Psalm 23 (snippet)
- Until the End of the World / Love and Peace or Else (snippet) / Words (snippet) / The Divine Image (snippet) (Intermission - The Fly)
- Invisible
- Even Better Than The Real Thing Fish Out of Water Mix / Break On Through (snippet)
- Fashion (snippet) / Mysterious Ways / Burning Down The House (snippet)
- Elevation
- Sweetest Thing
- Every Breaking Wave
- October
- Bullet the Blue Sky / Ode To Joy (snippet) / 19 (snippet) / America (snippet)
- Zooropa
- Where the Streets Have No Name / California (There Is No End To Love) (snippet)
- Pride (In the Name of Love)
- With or Without You / Love Will Tear Us Apart (snippet)
- City of Blinding Lights
- Beautiful Day
- Mother And Child Reunion (snippet) / One / Invisible (snippet)
encore(s):
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