10. July 1, 2018 - eXperience and iNnocence Tour - Madison Square Garden - NYC
There's nothing that stands out about this show from a setlist standpoint. It was, more or less, boilerplate e/i - which is something I've actually been critical of. There was no need to bring back the i/e first set in North America - as mind blowing as it was on i/e. Alas...
So why is this show in my top 10? I don't know. There was just something about the vibe. The previous two shows I saw on the tour were at Capital One Arena (and I'm typing this in the same building, ironically). COA just isn't a great building for concerts. Maybe with the refurbishments we're about to undertake it'll improve - but sound is kind of muffled and the vibe is very meh. So coming into MSG - where the vibe is always off the charts - probably helped push this show up the list more than the setlist deserved.
It was also only my second time back in New York since I moved to DC in 2017. There were so many friends who I hadn't seen in a while who were at the show - and I hung around the back of the floor with them for the entire show and just had a fucking blast.
9. June 19, 2001 – Elevation Tour – MSG - NYC
Hey, it's an MSG show again.
Standard Elevation setlist - which, hey, let's be real - Elevation had an amazing setlist. ATYCLB had a ton of hits - so those songs all went off - but it was still close enough to the 80s/90s peak to have a ton of those songs in there as well. One of my favorite setlists in all of U2 concert history.
But the reason why this one makes the list is pretty simple - it was my first U2 concert. I was 20 years old - went with my dad (because, well, he paid - because i was a broke 20 year old). But the bonus of going with your dad to a show at 20 is that people tended to not ID you at bars and restaurants, which was nice.
MSG was soooo loud - especially during the stretch of Out of Control, 11'O'Clock TIck Tock and then Sunday Bloody Sunday. Those first two are just bangers - and then when the drums hit to close off that stretch the place just explodes.
Setlist Highlights: Bad into Streets, full band Desire, Out of Control into tick tock into Sunday, THE FLY
8. May 14, 2005 – Vertigo Tour – Wachovia Center - Philadelphia
Very standard setlist for the tour - but what made this one special was two-fold. One - it was the start of what was a crazy week centered around U2 shows... Phillies game the night before, the show at Wachovia, two shows in Jersey later that week, an Unforgettable Fire show at Flannery's, Mets/Yankees at Shea, the Belmont and finally a U2 gig at MSG. I needed a week off to recover lol.
And two - it was my first time meeting up with some of you wacky bastards - including Dave, Zoney/Jeff, and many many more who are no longer here. Not, like, dead... just not on interference.
It was also the first (and last) time I did the GA lineup. Day was supposed to be overcast with a high chance of rain. It ended up being sunny without a single cloud to be seen. And this guy didn't bring any sunscreen. My legs were purple a few days later. Not my finest moment. But it didn't bother me at the time!
Setlist Highlights: An Cat Dubh / The Black Cat, The Cry / Electric Co., Zoo Station.
7. October 8, 2005 – Vertigo Tour – Madison Square Garden - NYC
Saturday night at MSG - the best, Jerry. the best.
By now I was in tight with Unforgettable Fire and had started doing their webpage. Tony (Bono) was asked by some folks on U2's crew to do some pre-show work at the VIP parties... which more or less was just him showing up not in full costume (sorry, Pavel) - but just be there and bring your glasses in case people wanted to take some photos. Which he did - but mostly it was just enjoy yourself and drink for free. And hey, bring some friends! And oh, by the way, here's a pass to get you inside the ellipse.
So - we did that. Free drinks and free passage to the ellipse is a fine way to see a show - especially at MSG - where the floor literally bounces when the crowd gets into it because the arena is on the 5th floor. Before the show I got to hang out with Tom Morello for a good 5 minutes. What a nice dude who really did not need to take time out of his day to talk to some drunk 24 year old kid - but he did! Also how cool is it that he skipped the VIP and just hung out in the ellipse with everyone else?
After the show we were brought back stage - which is a holy shit moment. Not where the band was - more with the crew. Dennis Sheehan, Bob Koch, Joe O'Herlihy were all there, among other random folks. Had a nice conversation with JOH about how they record every single concert and store it in the vault for possible use in the future. And then the decision was made to hit up a bar in Midtown - so we all left the room and walked to the loading dock to wait for a van. While we were there Edge walked out, waved and jumped into his a waiting black car. Then our van came up and we all loaded in. As we went down the ramp (again - MSG is on the 5th floor, so the loading dock goes down and not up like at most arenas) and out onto 33rd Street, there was a crowd waiting outside for band members to come out - including some people who I knew. The look on their faces as I waved at them as we drove by was hilarious.
Ended up at a bar in the 50s - where I ended up just pulled up to the bar drinking pints of Guinness with Dennis Sheehan - who was just a gem of a guy. Great great night.
Setlist Highlights: All I Want Is You (full band) early in the set, a first for the tour. Mary J. Blige hoping on for One. The infamous Bono cell phone rant during Sunday Bloody Sunday. Fast Cars and full band Original of the Species and a great rendition of 40 to close it out.
6. June 29, 2017 – Joshua Tree 30th - MetLife Stadium - East Rutherford, NJ
Another show that isn't on here because of the set - absolute boiler plate JT30 set. But it's on here because I literally moved from NY to DC the next day - which was a huge move, considering that - college aside - I had lived in and around NYC for the entire 36 years of my life to that point. And I spent it hanging out in the parking lot and then on the field with the UF crew - band and close friends - which was special.
Setlist highlights: like i said - it was standard fare for JT30 - but for whatever reason Bad really hit me on this night. I mean - I knew it was my last night in NY - but that moment kinda hit me as Bad was starting, and it was pretty emotional. And I don't get emotional at U2 shows like some of these wackos. But yea.
5. September 29, 2023 - U2:UV Live at Sphere - Sphere - Las Vegas
It's hard to differentiate between the two Sphere shows I saw - because the setlists were identical. And this was opening night - which was a) the first time I had seen a U2 show on their opening night, and b) it was pretty special to be among the first people to see the Sphere in all its glory.
I'll explain more why this show is at #5 and the other show is further down the list when the other show pops up.
4. October 30, 2009 – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert - MSG - NYC
I tried to not include non full U2 concerts on this list (i have a couple that i'm going to include in an honorable mention) - but the set they played was long enough to include, not to mention that this is the greatest concert I've ever seen in general - U2 or not - so it felt like I had to include it. But it only slots in at #4 for U2 shows.
Let's go over the full show, shall we?
- Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls Of Fire
- Aretha Franklin - A Natural Woman
- Aretha Franklin - Baby I Love You
- Aretha Franklin - Don't Play That Song
- Aretha Franklin - Make Them Hear You
- Aretha Franklin - Chain of Fools f/ Annie Lennox
- Aretha Franklin - Theme From New York, New York
- Aretha Franklin - Think f/ Lenny Kravitz
- Aretha Franklin - Respect
- Jeff Beck - I'll Drown In my Tears
- Jeff Beck - People Get Ready f/ Sting
- Jeff Beck - Freeway Jam
- Jeff Beck - Cause We've Ended As Lovers
- Jeff Beck - Let Me Love You Baby f/ Buddy Guy
- Jeff Beck - Big Block
- Jeff Beck - Rice Pudding
- Jeff Beck - Rough Boy f/ Billy Gibbons
- Jeff Beck - Foxy Lady f/ Billy Gibbons
- Jeff Beck - A Day in the Life
- Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls
- Metallica - One
- Metallica - Turn The Page
- Metallica - Sweet Jane f/ Lou Reed
- Metallica - White Light/White Heat f/ Lou Reed
- Metallica - Iron Man f/ Ozzy Osbourne
- Metallica - Paranoid f/ Ozzy Osbourne
- Metallica - You Really Got Me f/ Ray Davies
- Metallica - All Day and All of the Night f/ Ray Davies
- Metallica - Stone Cold Crazy
- Metallica - Enter Sandman
- U2 - Vertigo
- U2 - Magnificent
- U2 - Because The Night f/ Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen
- U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For f/ Bruce Springsteen
- U2 - Mysterious Ways / Where Is The Love f/ Black Eyed Peas
- U2 - Gimmie Shelter f/ Mick Jagger, Fergie, Will.I.Am
- U2 - Stuck in a Moment f/ Mick Jagger
- U2 - Beautiful Day
It only proves out how amazing a show this was when U2's set was the weakest - other than the collaborations. I'll allow the Black Eyed Peas collabs because it gave us the absolute highlight of the night on the next song - alas.
Metallica REALLY understood the assignments. They bookended their amazing collaborations with HITS HITS HITS. U2 kind of felt the need to prove themselves as still relevant by including a current song with Magnificent. Magnificent should have been Sunday Bloody Sunday, and Streets ABSOLTUELY should have been in there. Alas - despite my issues with their decision making...
holy shit, U2 playing Gimmie Shelter with Mick Jagger?! And I was behind the stage for this - and could see Mick bouncing out before he hit the stage. He's hard to miss - his energy and his walk are unmistakable. What a remarkable moment. Honestly it may be that moment alone that makes it this high.
And - well - my Holy Trinity are U2, Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen. And to see two of the three play together will always be something very special.
3. November 22, 2004 – How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb Promo Tour – Empire Fulton Ferry State Park
Just a special day. The rumors started coming out here on Interference that U2 were going to play a concert in New York City. The original rumors had them playing at Washington Square Park in the Village. Then a random link popped up on 1iota - the company that does free ticketing for made for TV events - for a major rock band on MTV at Empire Fulton Ferry State Park down in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. I snapped up a free ticket and made plans to head from the Island into the city equipped with both options without knowing for sure which one was correct.
That morning it became a little clearer that Brooklyn was the location. So I made my way down there and the line was already long - but I ended up on the left side of the stage about 2 rows back from the speaker stacks. There were rumblings that the band were playing on a flatbed truck throughout the city and were going to make their way down here. It's 2004 so there's no twitter or anything like that so we have to rely on rumors and, well, places like Interference - but, ya know, it was pre smart phone so i couldn't exactly see what was happening on my flip phone.
As the crowd was really filling in behind us and the sun was starting to set - we finally saw some helicopters appear over the Manhattan Bridge. And then you could see the flatbed - slowly moving across the bridge. You could see Bono jumping up and down on the truck. It was pretty surreal to see from that angle. We later find out that they were of course filming the video for All Because of You - so technically speaking a speck in the distance at the end of that video is me.
They hit the stage maybe 30 minutes later and were just on fire. The album had already leaked - so a lot of people in the crowd knew the songs beyond just Vertigo. It was also clear when they played Sometimes that Bono's voice was in better shape than it had been in a number of years.
Just an amazing backdrop for a concert - especially as the sun fully set and the lights of the skyline across the river became more visible.
Setlist Highlights: Out of Control (i'm in the video on MTV at the start), She's A Mystery To Me, first time hearing the HTDAAB songs live
2. September 30, 2023 – U2:UV Live at Sphere - Sphere - Las Vegas
So to my earlier post - night one at Sphere, for me at least, was mostly about Sphere. It's hard not to be overwhelmed by the venue - especially at a time where nobody has seen any of the visuals yet. Everything was brand new. There were a few leaks that day on CBS - but it was hard to not be distracted by everything going on around you. The opening of Zoo Station? Utterly surreal. The Fly and the roof falling from the sky? The flames of Until The End of the World? The Vegas skyline? the WOWY Nevada Ark? It was all just - a lot.
So that's why I rank night two as the better night. The shows were identical, obviously. Which was actually a bit of a disappointment after Bono said they'd be rotating the middle, acoustic set. But until he said that on night one i expected identical sets each night, so i got over it. Plus how often do you get to hear Love Rescue Me?
Night two was about the band. Where night one seemed to be the venue being supported by the band - night two was the band supported by these amazing visuals. You know, like a normal U2 concert.
They were looser. I WAS looser. I was able to have a lot more fun, bopping around - not as afraid to run and grab a drink and miss something. Just able to enjoy the show for all it was worth. And god damn were these shows utterly amazing.
Setlist Highlights: Acrobat, So Cruel, Love Is Blindness, Love Rescue Me
1. July 20, 2011 – 360 – New Meadowlands Stadium (now MetLife)
The energy was utterly amazing at this show. Temps were in the 90s all day - similar to that Philly concert, not a cloud in the sky. Hung out with the UF crew in the parking lot before the show, as is the tradition. We actually hit the floor later than usual - so didn't get to go up into the inner circle and kind of hung back by the soundboard. But the energy - again - it was, sorry, on fire in there. Between the heat and the ZooTV start to the show (instead of No Line from the earlier 360 shows).
The other two 360 shows I saw I was either in the circle or in the Red Zone - so this was really my first time seeing the stage show from afar - and it didn't disappoint.
The idea of U2 doing a greatest hits style show isn't always looked upon favorably around here - but if they've ever done one, the second half of 360 - post Bono surgery - was it. And with this set? Yea, I really hope they do one before they hang it up. Maybe at Sphere. That would be utterly amazing. But these shows were as close to a greatest hits tour as they've gotten, and it was amazing. You forget how many great songs they have when they have to shoehorn the new stuff into the set. And i LIKE the newer stuff (mostly).
Anyhoo - the set just flowed so well and was filled with hit after hit, banger after banger. The No Line songs were largely cut - save for Boots and Magnificent - which, hey, weren't as bad when surrounded by everything else. And they had actually not been playing Magnificent on this leg - but added it back in here. And without taking away The Fly! (sorry, peef). Final set was 26 songs which I believe is tied for the longest U2 have played.
Miss Sarajevo had Bono doing the Pavarotti part - which has always been a live highlight (vs. on JT30 when he couldn't sing it live anymore and was, well, lame). And moving that into Zooropa (a first for me) - and the entire stretch from City through Streets - just doesn't stop. Sure, I could probably have done without the Crazy Tonight remix, but i'll deal.
They've been playing mostly Hold Me Thrill Me to start the encore on this leg, but occasionally would toss in Ultra Violet instead... and as much as I love Ultra Violet, I had never heard Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me and, well, if you haven't noticed I kinda love that song. So it was cool as shit to finally hear it live and be able to belt out the lyric where my online U2 persona came from.
There were rumblings that Springsteen was going to hop out on stage at some point - and he WAS there - but he never showed up on stage. I always seem to miss him on his U2 appearances (other than the Rock Hall of Fame show). But Bono did recite the refrain from Jungleland at the end of Moment of Surrender.
And while that would normally be the end of a 360 show - the band clearly felt the same as I did, that this show was something special, and brought out one more song - Out of Control! And it was. What a great night.