U2's Helsinki #2 setlist, 21/08
Today has seen momentous news in the confirmation of U2's Australia/New Zealand tour, but there is also significant live news from Helsinki, where the band have performed and shook up the setlist. Yesterday, U2 performed their third-ever concert in Finland, and first for over thirteen years. Today, they are playing their fourth Finnish concert; this is the first time U2 have ever performed two shows in Finland on the same tour. Prior visits in 1982 and 1997 were for single shows. U2 made this concert special, premiering an unreleased song called Every Breaking Wave.
The surprises were hinted at in the soundcheck; the band rehearsed Bad, No Line On The Horizon, Pride, and I Will Follow. All four songs were yet to be performed this year, or in the case of I Will Follow, on this tour at all. Interestingly, No Line On The Horizon was rehearsed as a semi-acoustic version. As it happened, three of the four songs made it out of the soundcheck and into the setlist tonight; Bad was the only one to miss out.
I Will Follow debuted early in the setlist, occupying the position that New Year's Day has held at recent concerts. This marks the first performance of any song from Boy on the 360° Tour, and maintains Boy's record of being represented on every U2 tour ever. A few songs later in the setlist, No Line On The Horizon was performed for the first time in 2010, and the band played the semi-acoustic arrangement that they soundchecked; although a bit unpolished, it had a raw energy. The song was last performed on 28 October 2009, then in its traditional full electric arrangement.
After another few songs came the biggest surprise of all, the live debut of an unreleased song titled Every Breaking Wave. It was immediately followed by another unreleased track that U2 have been playing live lately, Glastonbury. The Unforgettable Fire was omitted from the setlist again, but the band did not neglect the album of the same name - Pride was resurrected after an absence of 25 shows, taking Sunday Bloody Sunday's place after Crazy Tonight. Pride was last performed on 12 September 2009. This is the first time Sunday Bloody Sunday has missed a gig since the Vertigo Tour's public dress rehearsal on 26 March 2005, or if you are only going to count full tour gigs, then 30 September 1997. Today's concert is the first since 27 June 1997 to feature no songs from the War album at all.
Finally, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me returned to the setlist after being displaced by Ultra Violet at the first Helsinki show. The full setlist was:
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The surprises were hinted at in the soundcheck; the band rehearsed Bad, No Line On The Horizon, Pride, and I Will Follow. All four songs were yet to be performed this year, or in the case of I Will Follow, on this tour at all. Interestingly, No Line On The Horizon was rehearsed as a semi-acoustic version. As it happened, three of the four songs made it out of the soundcheck and into the setlist tonight; Bad was the only one to miss out.
I Will Follow debuted early in the setlist, occupying the position that New Year's Day has held at recent concerts. This marks the first performance of any song from Boy on the 360° Tour, and maintains Boy's record of being represented on every U2 tour ever. A few songs later in the setlist, No Line On The Horizon was performed for the first time in 2010, and the band played the semi-acoustic arrangement that they soundchecked; although a bit unpolished, it had a raw energy. The song was last performed on 28 October 2009, then in its traditional full electric arrangement.
After another few songs came the biggest surprise of all, the live debut of an unreleased song titled Every Breaking Wave. It was immediately followed by another unreleased track that U2 have been playing live lately, Glastonbury. The Unforgettable Fire was omitted from the setlist again, but the band did not neglect the album of the same name - Pride was resurrected after an absence of 25 shows, taking Sunday Bloody Sunday's place after Crazy Tonight. Pride was last performed on 12 September 2009. This is the first time Sunday Bloody Sunday has missed a gig since the Vertigo Tour's public dress rehearsal on 26 March 2005, or if you are only going to count full tour gigs, then 30 September 1997. Today's concert is the first since 27 June 1997 to feature no songs from the War album at all.
Finally, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me returned to the setlist after being displaced by Ultra Violet at the first Helsinki show. The full setlist was:
- Return of the Stingray Guitar
- Beautiful Day / Singin' In The Rain (snippet)
- I Will Follow
- Get on Your Boots
- Magnificent
- Mysterious Ways / My Sweet Lord (snippet) / Norwegian Wood (snippet)
- No Line On The Horizon
- Elevation
- I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
- Every Breaking Wave
- Whole Lotta Love (snippet) / Glastonbury / Rock And Roll (snippet)
- In a Little While
- Miss Sarajevo
- City of Blinding Lights / Singin' In The Rain (snippet)
- Vertigo
- Crazy Tonight / Discothèque (snippet)
- Pride (In the Name of Love)
- MLK
- Walk On / You'll Never Walk Alone (snippet)
- One / Rain (snippet)
- Where the Streets Have No Name
- Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
- With or Without You
- Moment of Surrender / Singin' In The Rain (snippet)
encore(s):
If you attended the show we ask you to share your concert review or photos with other site visitors. You can post your review of the show here and upload your pictures here.
Posted on by Axver