U2 have returned to the stage for the first time in 51 weeks to play their first show of 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand.
These shows mark nine years since U2 last toured Australia and New Zealand. This time its all about the iconic album ‘The Joshua Tree’.
The 2019 setlist starts with an early era four song summary of pre-Joshua Tree songs. Its then into the Joshua Tree album from start to finish, followed by a post-Joshua Tree sample bag.
Along the way there’s a nod to Led Zep (Black Dog and Rock and Roll) and The Stones (Its Only Rock and Roll) but Bono also localised the first show in New Zealand. He paid tribute to their late roadie Kiwi Greg Carroll, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1986 during ‘One Tree Hill’ and to Christchurch with ‘One’.
Cherry-pick the reviews today. The ‘Media Cool’ will be picking on U2 just because it’s the thing to do. They’ll fail to see the heritage, the grandeur and the sheer-gob smacking quality of the songs that made U2 who they are in the first place.
Ignore the negative, a U2 show is as great as rock can be.
U2 are touring Australia and New Zealand for Live Nation.
U2 setlist, 9 November 2019, Auckland, New Zealand
Sunday Bloody Sunday (from War, 1983)
New Year’s Day (from War, 1983)
Bad (from The Unforgettable Fire, 1984)
Pride (In the Name of Love) (from The Unforgettable Fire, 1984)
Where the Streets Have No Name (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
With or Without You (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
Bullet the Blue Sky (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
Running To Stand Still (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
Red Hill Mining Town (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
In God’s Country (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
Trip Through Your Wires (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
One Tree Hill (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
Exit (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
Mothers Of The Disappeared (The Joshua Tree, 1987)
Angel of Harlem (from Rattle and Hum, 1988)
encore(s):
Elevation (from All That You Can’t Leave Behind, 2000)
Vertigo (from How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, 2004)
Even Better Than The Real Thing (from Achtung Baby, 1991)
Every Breaking Wave (from Songs of Innocence, 2014)
Beautiful Day (from All That You Can’t Leave Behind, 2000)
Ultraviolet (Light My Way) (from Achtung Baby, 1991)
Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way (from Songs of Experience, 2017)
One (from Achtung Baby, 1991)
U2 2019 dates
New Zealand
9 November, Auckland, Mt Smart Stadium
Australia
12 November, Brisbane, Suncorp Stadium
15 November, Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
19 November, Adelaide, Adelaide Oval
22 and 23 November, Sydney, Sydney Cricket Ground
27 November, Perth, Optus Stadium
Asia
30 November, Singapore, National Stadium
4 and 5 December, Tokyo, Saitama Super Arena
8 December, Seoul, Gockeok Sky Dome
11 December, Manila, Philippine Arena
15 December, Mumbai, DY Patil Stadium
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