I would like to warn you in advance that this is very lengthy and full of a lot of U2 information. I will keep editing it as U2 play concerts, further old setlists are discovered, and corrections are offered. This list is surely not perfect, and if you spot an inaccuracy, please feel free to tell me. I used Elevation-tour.com as my primary resource simply because it has the best format out of any U2 setlist website, though I did do some cross-checking with U2Tours.com to reduce the likelihood of errors. A few errors I corrected with my own knowledge of bootlegs (for example, Elevation-tour.com and U2Tours.com both record 4 November 1981 as ending with The Ocean, but I have a DVD of the show and the band come out to play I Will Follow again).
(Skip ahead:
- The criteria
- Concert openers
- Concert closers
- Three interesting facts)
Here are the basic details for those who do not wish to read the whole thing.
Top ten openers
1. Zoo Station – 157
2. Elevation – 117
3. Where The Streets Have No Name – 112
4. 11 O’clock Tick Tock – 96
5. Gloria – 94
6. Mofo – 93
7. Out Of Control – 53
8. The Ocean – 38
9. Stand By Me – 20
10. Bullet The Blue Sky – 14
Top ten closers
1. 40 – 316
2. Walk On – 109
3. Can’t Help Falling In Love With You – 84
4. Love Is Blindness – 66
5. The Ocean – 47
6. I Will Follow – 26
7. (TIE) One – 21
7. (TIE) Unchained Melody – 21
8. Wake Up Dead Man – 20
9. Out Of Control – 19
10. 11 O’clock Tick Tock – 14
The criteria
If U2 picked up their instruments and played a set, it counts. This encompasses everything from dual song appearances on television and radio shows through to regular tour concerts. I have not chosen to include single song performances, but I have chosen to include a three-song studio session in 1978 as a setlist as it was not a typical studio session as one might find on the Axtung Beibi Out-takes, but rather U2 heading in to play a set of predetermined songs. I have included concerts involving just a couple of band members (i.e. Bono and Edge at the 46664 concert on 29 November 2003). I have attempted to ensure there are no mistakes, but if you spot any or feel the criteria requires modification, feel free to leave a comment.
Please note: setlists do NOT exist for all U2 concerts, especially in the early years. Many early songs will be significantly under-represented, but there is nothing I can do about that. These are the known concert openers and closers.
All concert openers in alphabetical order
| 11 O'clock Tick Tock - 96 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | June | 8 |
| September | 7, 12 | |
| October | 14, 15 | |
| December | 3, 6, 7, 13 | |
| 1981 | February | 9 |
| August | 23, 24 | |
| 1984 | October | 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31 |
| November | 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 21 | |
| December | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 15, 16 | |
| 1985 | January | 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31 |
| February | 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 25, 27 | |
| March | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30 | |
| April | 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 | |
| May | 2, 25, 26, 27 | |
| June | 1, 22, 29 | |
| July | 6, 7 | |
| All Along The Watchtower - 2 | ||
| 1987 | November | 11 |
| 1988 | October | 16 |
| All I Want Is You - 3 | ||
| 1998 | November | 20 |
| 2000 | February | 26 |
| March | 18 | |
| American Prayer - 1 | ||
| 2003 | November | 29 |
| Another Day - 1 | ||
| 1980 | July | 27 |
| Beautiful Day - 7 | ||
| 2000 | September | 27 |
| November | 3, 23 | |
| December | 5, 19 | |
| 2001 | October | 10 |
| 2002 | February | 3 |
| Boy/Girl - 1 | ||
| 1981 | October | 14 |
| Bullet The Blue Sky - 14 | ||
| 1987 | August | 3 |
| September | 10, 11, 17 | |
| 1989 | October | 12, 21 |
| November | 10, 17, 26, 28 | |
| December | 11, 15, 30 | 1990 | January | 10 |
| Carry Me Home - 1 | ||
| 1981 | June | 9 |
| City Of Blinding Lights - 3 | ||
| 2005 | March | 28, 30 |
| April | 6 | |
| C'Mon Everybody - 2 | ||
| 1986 | May | 17 |
| June | 4 | |
| Elevation - 117 | ||
| 2000 | October | 19, 23, 26, 27, 30 |
| 2001 | March | 24, 26, 29, 30 |
| April | 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 26, 28 | |
| May | 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31 | |
| June | 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22 | |
| July | 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 31 | |
| August | 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28 | |
| September | 1 | |
| October | 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31 | |
| November | 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30 | |
| December | 1, 2 | |
| Exit - 1 | ||
| 1987 | January | 1 |
| Gloria - 93 | ||
| 1981 | October | 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 28, 30 |
| November | 3, 4, 13, 14, 18, 22, 25, 29 | |
| December | 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 20, 21 | |
| 1982 | February | 11, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25 |
| March | 4, 5, 11, 14, 17, 18, 30 | |
| May | 1, 14 | |
| July | 1, 4, 18, 31 | |
| August | 7 | |
| 1983 | February | 26, 28 |
| March | 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 | |
| April | 3, 23, 24, 25, 28, 30 | |
| May | 30 | |
| June | 6 | |
| 1984 | August | 31 |
| September | 1, 5, 6, 8, 18 | |
| 1985 | April | 14, 18 |
| God Part II - 2 | ||
| 1989 | December | 26 |
| 1990 | January | 5 |
| Gone - 1 | ||
| 1997 | June | 7 |
| Hawkmoon 269 - 8 | ||
| 1989 | September | 21, 27 |
| October | 3, 8, 13, 16 | |
| November | 18 | |
| December | 18 | |
| In God's Country - 1 | ||
| 1989 | September | 23 |
| I Will Follow - 4 | ||
| 1980 | September | 29 |
| 1981 | May | 30 |
| 1983 | December | 18 |
| 1985 | August | 25 |
| Love And Peace Or Else - 3 | ||
| 2005 | April | 1, 2, 5 |
| Lucille - 1 | ||
| 1987 | September | 8 |
| Miserere - 1 | ||
| 2003 | May | 27 |
| MLK - 7 | ||
| 1984 | October | 18 |
| 1986 | June | 6, 8, 11 (x2 shows), 13, 15 |
| Mofo - 93 | ||
| 1997 | April | 25, 28 |
| May | 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 24, 26, 31 | |
| June | 1, 3, 8, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 25, 27, 28, 29 | |
| July | 1, 2, 18, 19, 25, 27, 29, 31 | |
| August | 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 26, 28, 30, 31 | |
| September | 2, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 23, 26, 30 | |
| October | 26, 27, 29, 31 | |
| November | 2, 8, 10, 12, 14, 21, 23, 26, 28 | |
| December | 2, 3, 9, 12 | |
| 1998 | January | 27, 30, 31 |
| February | 5, 6, 7, 11, 17, 21, 25, 27 | |
| March | 5, 11, 16, 21 | |
| New York - 1 | ||
| 2001 | October | 29 |
| One - 3 | ||
| 1995 | September | 12 |
| 2001 | February | 26 |
| 2003 | June | 21 |
| Original Of The Species - 1 | ||
| 2004 | October | 26 |
| Out Of Control - 53 | ||
| 1982 | December | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 14, 15 |
| 1983 | May | 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 26 |
| June | 1, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28, 29 | |
| July | 2, 3 | |
| August | 14, 20, 21 | |
| November | 22, 26, 27, 28, 29 | |
| 1984 | September | 2, 9, 15, 24 |
| People Get Ready - 1 | ||
| 1987 | March | 8 |
| Rain - 1 | ||
| 2004 | November | 18 |
| Rejoice - 2 | ||
| 1982 | May | 15 |
| July | 2 | |
| Silver Lining - 2 | ||
| 1980 | February | 3, 26 |
| Southern Man - 1 | ||
| 1982 | March | 12 |
| Stand By Me - 20 | ||
| 1987 | April | 22 |
| May | 4, 9, 16 | |
| June | 13, 17, 21, 24, 28 | |
| July | July | 1, 4, 11, 22, 25, 30 |
| August | 1, 8 | |
| September | 22 | |
| 1989 | October | 9 |
| December | 1 | |
| Stories For Boys - 4 | ||
| 1979 | October | 5 |
| 1980 | November | 11, 21, 28 |
| Street Mission - 1 | ||
| 1978 | November | 1 |
| Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of - 1 | ||
| 2000 | October | 25 |
| Sunday Bloody Sunday - 2 | ||
| 1985 | July | 13 |
| 1992 | August | 7 |
| That's Life - 1 | ||
| 2003 | March | 21 |
| The Ocean - 38 | ||
| 1980 | September | 16, 29 |
| October | 16 | |
| 1981 | January | 23, 24, 29 |
| February | 1, 12, 15, 28 | |
| March | 3 (x2 shows), 4, 6, 7, 14, 15, 18, 20, 28 | |
| April | 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 21 | |
| May | 8, 9, 11, 15, 21, 27, 28, 29 | |
| June | 8 | |
| Touch - 1 | ||
| 1980 | November | 13 |
| Twilight - 2 | ||
| 1980 | November | 26 |
| 1981 | March | 6 |
| Until The End Of The World - 1 | ||
| 2001 | February | 7 |
| 2005 | March | 14 |
| Vertigo - 6 | ||
| 2004 | October | 15, 16 |
| November | 16, 20, 22 | |
| December | 2 | |
| Walk The Line - 1 | ||
| 1987 | April | 8 |
| When Love Comes To Town - 2 | ||
| 1988 | October | 27 |
| November | 4 | |
| Where The Streets Have No Name - 112 | ||
| 1987 | March | 27 |
| April | 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 29, 30 | |
| May | 2, 3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 27, 29, 30 | |
| June | 2, 3, 6, 12, 15, 27 | |
| July | 8, 10, 15, 18, 21, 29 | |
| August | 4 | |
| September | 12, 14, 18, 20, 23, 25, 28, 29 | |
| October | 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 | |
| November | 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28 | |
| December | 3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 19, 20 | |
| 1989 | September | 22, 28, 29 |
| October | 2, 4, 7, 14, 20, 27, 28 | |
| November | 4, 8, 11, 19, 23, 25, 29 | |
| December | 12, 14, 16, 27, 31 | |
| 1990 | January | 6, 9 |
| Wire - 1 | ||
| 1984 | September | 17 |
| With A Shout (Jerusalem) - 3 | ||
| 1981 | August | 16, 29, 31 |
| Womanfish - 1 | ||
| 1986 | January | 30 |
| Zoo Station - 157 | ||
| 1992 | February | 29 |
| March | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 31 | |
| April | 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23 | |
| May | 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31 | |
| June | 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19 | |
| August | 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30 | |
| September | 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25 | |
| October | 3, 7, 10, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 31 | |
| November | 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, 21, 22, 24, 25 | |
| 1993 | May | 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29 |
| June | 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 23, 26, 28, 30 | |
| July | 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12, 14, 17, 18, 23, 27, 29, 31 | |
| August | 3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 18, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28 | |
| November | 12, 13, 16, 20, 26, 27 | |
| December | 1, 4, 9, 10 | |
All concert closers in alphabetical order
(My apologies for the gigantic white space between this text and the table. I am totally baffled as to its cause or how to fix it. Click here to skip down to the beginning. If you know how to fix this, please leave a comment.)
Interesting fact #1: Despite common belief that Wake Up Dead Man closed many Popmart concerts, it actually only closed 20, the same amount as One and Unchained Melody.
Interesting fact #2: Four U2 songs have opened and closed the same concert. The Ocean has opened and closed ten, 11 O'clock Tick Tock seven, Vertigo three, and Elevation one.
Interesting fact #3: Out Of Control claims the record for the longest gap between use as an opener/closer. It closed the 14 March 1982 concert and then did not reappear in the closing position until 21 July 2001, over nineteen years later.
Data compiled and presented by André Axver.
