Today U2 commenced the third and final leg of their Joshua Tree Tour 2017. This concert is the first time U2 have begun any leg of a tour in Michigan. The last time the band played in the Detroit metropolitan area was almost 12 years ago when they visited Auburn Hills on 24 and 25 October 2005. They have visited the metro area on most tours, playing either Auburn Hills or Pontiac; their last concert in Detroit itself was on 23 March 1985. This is their first stadium concert in Detroit rather than Pontiac.

Yesterday U2 soundchecked at Ford Field. They rehearsed forthcoming single You're the Best Thing About Me extensively, and another clip of this rehearsal has surfaced. It is from inside the stadium and you can watch it here. Edge, Adam, and Larry are there but Bono had not arrived yet; his vocals are from tape.

Today's setlist deviated little from what the band have played on the previous two legs. U2 stuck with four early eighties songs to precede The Joshua Tree in the main set. Patti Smith joined the band for Mothers of the Disappeared, just like she did in Paris on 25 July.

The encore began with Beautiful Day instead of Miss Sarajevo, which had opened all of the European encores and some of those on the first leg. Indeed, Miss Sarajevo was not played at all, making this the first show this tour to not feature it other than the slightly abbreviated Bonnaroo festival set. Its visuals did appear on screen during rehearsals so it might not be gone for good.

Mysterious Ways appeared in the encore—it was played just three times on the first leg and five times on the second leg. No new song appeared in today's set. Perhaps U2 are waiting for the official release of The Best Thing to radio on Wednesday, and they might also not yet have settled on exactly how to perform it live.

The full setlist was:

1. Sunday Bloody Sunday
2. New Year's Day
3. Bad / America (snippet)
4. Pride (In the Name of Love)
5. Where the Streets Have No Name / California (There Is No End To Love) (snippet)
6. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
7. With or Without You
8. Bullet the Blue Sky / America (snippet)
9. Running To Stand Still
10. Red Hill Mining Town
11. In God's Country
12. Trip Through Your Wires
13. One Tree Hill
14. Exit / Wise Blood (snippet) / Eeny Meeny Miny Moe (snippet)
15. Mothers Of The Disappeared / People Have The Power (snippet) (with Patti Smith)

encore(s):

16. Beautiful Day / People Have The Power (snippet)
17. Elevation
18. Vertigo / Panic In Detroit (snippet)
19. Miss You (snippet) / Mysterious Ways
20. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
21. One / Hear Us Coming (snippet)

All details for this show including reviews, videos and photos can be found here.

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Posted on September 04, 2017 by Axver