'Come in Barcelona'

Arriving on stage at Camp Nou at just gone 10pm local time, the band played 22 songs over two hours and twenty minutes , eliciting an extraordinary reception from passionate Spanish fans. Take a look at this clip to follow the band on the walk to the stage or scroll down for the rest of the show report.



As well as seven songs from No Line on the Horizon, the band soared through the catalogue returning to many classic tracks that have been missing from the set on recent tours.

Check the set list.
The groundbreaking new stage production, designed by Willie Williams and Mark Fisher, was the first thing to hit the audience as they arrived at the venue - its four huge legs stretching across the hallowed home of Barcelona FC and suspending a giant spherical screen delivering crystal clear 360 vision throughout the huge stadium.

'This has been our neighbourhood for the last couple of weeks,' explained Bono, taking a breath after four opening songs from No Line. 'This is where we wanted to build our space station...'

The space station soon made contact with another one, when began speaking to Bono to the astronauts orbiting planet earth on the International Space Station. They immediately appeared live on the screens. 'Very nice to hear you,' said one astronaut as the microphone floated around the cabin.
'Commander, can you see Barcelona?' asked Bono.
'Right now the most beautiful sight in our cosmos is the blue planet earth,' came the reply.

Larry, Adam and Edge joined in the conversations with the space travellers, each of whom held out a sheet of paper, creating the phrase 'The Future Needs A Big Kiss' .

Larry wanted to know if the earth was really round. 'Actually, that's classified...' came the reply.
'Escape yourself and gravity' goes Unknown Caller, and considering this was its live debut it sounded like a classic set to stay in the set for years. Pretty cool hearing an entire stadium chanting, 'Restart and re-boot yourself.' If it was a surprise to hear Unforgettable Fire, title track of an album released in 1984, it sounded majestic - of the 22 tracks the band performed we counted selections from eight different albums.

Another striking moment was when Bono dedicated 'Walk On' to Aung San Suu Kyi, democratically elected leader of Burma in 1990 but under house arrest for most of the years since. As the electronic screens weaved lower and elongated spectacularly over the stage, huge images of Aung San Suu Kyi appeared as dozens of people began walking slowly along the external stage runway, each holding up her mask. 'Let her face be your face.' said Bono, as people around the stadium began put out their own masks.

Apart from a stumble during One, the band sounded looked pretty happy to be back on stage and back amongst their audience - Adam and Edge regularly crossed the elegant arched bridges spanning the inner stage and outer runway, reaching out to different parts of the audience. It feels as though the new production will do what it was commissioned to and turn a stadium into a club.

As Larry puts it in the tour programme, 'U2 is most at home when we're playing live. This is the place where our songs live.'
Ok, we haven't mentioned Antoni Gaudi, Michael Jackson or Archbishop Desmond Tutu - who made a spellbinding speech from the screens before 'Streets' - but there's another show on Thursday and that's all we've got time to say for now about a great opening night. We'll be adding more content in the coming hours - meantime, if you were at the show, don't forget to post your photos and videos.

Get RSS News Feed

This article is tagged to:
Highlights, Tours, U2 360° Tour

u2muzikluvr - 30 June, 2009 Canada eastcoast fan I'm blown away the stage is out of this world!! Now get me a ticket !!!LOL love ya U2 simply the best forever!!!! Rank:

batibub - 30 June, 2009 Fantastic opening night well, just a few things, cause it could be so long. Great and funny version of I'll go crazy Al last! ULTRAVIOLET Thank you guys. I drove crazy in Vertigo and Sunday Bloody Sunday Fantastic scenary and amazing audience. The band really huge. A little critic: One But what happened doesn't matter at all. Enjoy the coming shows!!! I missed Elevation, but the setlist was really good. Rank:

u2 ka - 30 June, 2009 A Christmas Missed! I told my wife today that missing the opening night of a U2 tour was like missing Christmas morning as a kid! I love the set list and I'm hoping that I will be blessed financially so that I can travel to Europe to see the boys before they hit the states in September. I look forward to more reports! Rank:

jefft16 - 30 June, 2009 unbelievable... This is probably one of the best stages ive ever seen in my life, and I thought it couldn't get better than the Vertigo stage. Im curious how well the sound system is, but its U2 how can you go wrong. This is what you get for being THE best Rock 'N' Roll band in history. Rank:

MASKARENOALEX - 01 July, 2009 Well The show was awesome, like always, but not the set list. This is a commercial set list, not a fan set list. I really, really love U2, but there are too many songs of the new album. I missed all the good songs live, like red hill mining town, twilight, another time another place, like a song, when I look at the world, love comes tumbling and acrobat. Again, this is the reallity, they need to sell to the crowds. Rank:

mouro - 01 July, 2009 The claw this is a message for the creators of The Claw: amazing fantasy, a masterpiece, unspeakable sensation when I was into its arms, felt it as a living creature of light and ilusion.Thank you. Rank:

Flow1 - 01 July, 2009 France fan, living in Barcelona, at opei Great Show! I won't tell it all as it's better to find out oneself when at the show. Great intro, not "classic" like in the 2 last tours. The boys with a lot of energy, happy to be back apparently. Was in the pit, just in front of Bono. Very surprising stumble on One + the face of Bono when he realised he forgot his guitar at the end of the song... wearing Barcelona FC jersey (I heard soccer fans in the crowd from rest of Spain not too happy about that one..). Anyway, the stage is amazing, the band was everywhere. The track list was great. To me the show is more impressive than Vertigo and Elevation.. reaching Zoo TV level at the time ;). Thanks you and Rock on! Rank:

sisterthemoon1997 - 01 July, 2009 Great One just back from Barca, what a night. It was the biggest Disco in town when Crazy tonight rolled in, what a version! Calling the ISS remindet us about calling Bush or pizza or a taxi back on Zoo TV, pretty cool. Magnificent was the best new song, the sound inside the inner circle got better before beautiful day, first 3 songs started with some trouble on edges guitare volume, but I think it was only a front of stage thing. Thanks for that show! Rank:

lecina - 01 July, 2009 EXCEPTIONAL The 24 horas before, with all fans on the street were nothing after this great show!!!!!! CRAZY!!! Everybody As they can't play 4 hours it would have beeng nice listening more songs not usually played... SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!! Now rest and prepared for 2nd night tomorrow Rank:

ladygas - 01 July, 2009 madrid fan from madrid to barcelona ....... The trip worthwhile, I can not describe in words what I lived yesterday Rank:

marcianne - 01 July, 2009 360 stage It's James and The Giant Peach meets the Jetsons at Gaudi's house !! Rank:

Jordi - 01 July, 2009 FROM CATALONIA TO THE COSMOS A great night!!! The first four songs where awesome!!! Breathe give you air to start a tremendous night... Best moments.... Angel of "Indiana", a very nice tribute to Jako. City of blinding lights... what I should say? Walk On... I missed the Elevation Tour, so nice to hear for first time, loud and clear for Aung San Suu Kyi and their people. ULTRAVIOLET... fantastic fantastic fantastic!!!! Also was really nice to see and meet with U2 supporters from all over the world... to all of you from abroad: WELCOME TO CATALONIA!!!!! Hope you enjoy the concerts and Barcelona city!!!! Rank:

tonicampos - 01 July, 2009 Hello, hello...from Barcelona people I was at the concert last night. Visually spectacular and better than you can even imagine for those of you who will see the the stage, screens and amazing light combinations. Lots of energy, seven of the new songs was a little two much, but Unknown Caller is fantastic live. A couple more older songs to satisfy die-hard fans like me would have been nice and they could have been a little adventurous and played a couple of past songs never played live before. The Unforgettable Fire sounded awesome after all these years. My only real criticism you could call logical teething problems. On some songs The Edge's guitar was DROWNED out by Adam's bass! All in all a great show! Rank:

jorgemichel - 01 July, 2009 Magnificent Excellent show, the claw is brilliant the sound awesome. New songs work extremely well, specially Unknown caller. Magnificent is also great Ultraviolet and UF great brilliant moments, soulful still havent' found, lovely Angel of Harlem and Jacko tribute, intimate In a little while, Vertigo a real thunder I have seen U2 in 6 different tours (including this). At least at the size of the legend Some of the legendary "sacred cows" were in my opinion the lowest point, One and Pride specially. Event glorious Streets was not that glorious, and Sunday BS, was energic but not fully satisfactory. Good WOWY performance Quite moving Wlak on, even I0m not sure that mask thing works And nice closing with MOS, even drums were too high Suprisingly schocking but definitively good Crazy tonight I missed Stand up comedy Rank:

Garry - 01 July, 2009 unfogettable just got back to liverpool England from last nights show,best nigh of my u2 life,dont forget u2.com it was`nt just spanish in camp nou last night,it was globel,i`ve watched this band LIVE since 87,loved them since 84 and this by far was the best,thanks boys,bring on dublin Rank:

JONN - 01 July, 2009 Incredible All the way from Gibraltar dont mind the sleepless night fantastic show ,stage and band simply incredible. Rank:

- 02 July, 2009 From Lyon, FRANCE It was 24h of dream, coming from Lyon, FRANCE for the show...and what show !!!!.... never seen anything like that ! Bono and band had such a good positiv energy. Amazing from beginning to the end... the concert athmosphere was peaceful in the great Camp Nou even if we were 90000 fans, incredible.... Rank:

macaluso - 02 July, 2009 Muj Spectacular the show was amazing. you're the greatest rockband ever. to start at 10pm was a great idea and i hope you'll start also in milano when the night is falling down...i appreciate the chance to give you my personally feedback. honestly i think a lot of the new songs haven't the u2-power. Breathe was cool, the new version of i'll go crazy was really great!!! and moments of surrender ist lovely. i missed elevation or mirucle drug. i think 5 songs from the new album would be enough. with or without was not that performance, that we know from the opera-singer bono, but it's always a great song. a very exciting gig and i'm happy to see you again in milano, paris and dublin. i love your music. michele Rank:

jurgenbelgium - 03 July, 2009 Belgium was there too Amazing show, great night one of the best U2 concerts i have been to and that are allready a few. Still 5 to come this tour so hopefully next week a great night in Milano ! U2 is just the best rock band in history it is as simple as that ! Rank:

marina watt - 03 July, 2009 thank you U2 I was was very fortunate to vgo to both concerts in Barcelona...Irish living in spain and being in Camp Nou was pretty amazing. All and more then i anticipated...the set, the 90.000 packed stadium, snow patrol all spectacular....but then cme on U2 and all of that is just a bonus, when those 4 come together something special happens!!! It was great to hear some of the older songs...and the new...U2 rocked Barc elona and have demonstrated they can actually get better then the last time!!! Nobody can touch them playing live, well done l love you and see you in Dublin at Croke Park!! Thank you for two spectacular nights! Rank:

RejaneMartins - 03 July, 2009 brazilian fan living in Barcelona The show in BCN was fantastic and when they connected to the space station, we realized how big U2 are and small is the world. Their scenary "space station" is amazing and frightens with its size, but at the end, those guys playing is all that matters, and their best for me was Magnificent, is pure U2, Edge at his best, the second show the best was "Electrical Storm". With their discografy/history is difficult to have mistake in their set list, but some classics could be substituted for songs from Pop and Zooropa. Rank:

Garry - 03 July, 2009 STILL ON CLOUD NINE I was at barelona 1st night,am still buzzing boys THANK YOU,icant come down,unforgettable fire thank you,GREAT.the best on the night was Crazy Tonight,orBOOTS,Boys you`ve done us proud,watched you since 87,this was best ever,nice angel of harlem,am from liverpool, thanks for,YOU`LL NEVER WALK ALONE,i cried. EDGE BONO LARRY ADAM,thank you. Fan since 84 Rank:

Teejoow - 03 July, 2009 Holland was there What a show! What an Audience! What a city! What a band! What a fantastic, world class, rock show! How proud and happy can you be to be part of this historical evening! Thank you Barcelona Thank you U2 CU in Amsterdam! Rank:

buster70 - 03 July, 2009 First U2 concert had the chance of seing them live for the first time, took the trip from Greenland to Barcelona. It was worth every penny, fantastic show. And they even played my favourite song live, for the first time in 20 years. A night to remember for the rest of my life. Rank:

Ghazal1204 - 03 July, 2009 Going Green Thank you U2 for going 'green' during 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'. It means a lot for me and our people to know we have your support. Rank:

richie joshuaramone - 05 July, 2009 thanks for existing ! once more u2 are revolutioning rock n`roll!in a time ,we`re living without new great ideas and inovations,thank GOD ,còs here they are again the band i`ve ever loved doing their unic and most magnificent job again...inovating and openning new doors!i will always love u ,thanks for keeping doing your job! Rank:

ritavd50 - 06 July, 2009 360° also for the back, left and right Saw the second show in Barcelona!Fantastic!But one thing: can you PLEASE ask to Bono to get also more contact to the left, right and the people behind him!!!!!!!! I will go aigain to Paris and will have a seat on the back of 360° and I hope we will see Bono more than in Barcelona (where we were on the left) Rank: