’A Proper Juke Box Night’
’A Proper Juke Box Night’
’A Proper Juke Box Night’
’A Proper Juke Box Night’
TOURS04 NOVEMBER 2023 1 MIN READ

'A Proper Juke Box Night'

Penultimate show of the opening run at Sphere - and full of surprises.

04 Nov 2023
share

'A Proper Juke Box Night'

The band made good use of their giant turntable Friday night, flipping the script by playing three songs from their 1983 album 'War' — 'Two Hearts Beat As One', 'Seconds' (a song they hadn't played live in almost 39 years), and an acoustic version of 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'.

Bono explained that he hadn't introduced Edge between 'Two Hearts' and 'Seconds' because 'I was gonna ask you to sing it'. 

The 22-song set also included lyrical trips into Echo and the Bunnymen's 'Rescue' ( It's a proper jukebox night') and Aerosmith's 'Sweet Jane' and closed with 'Beautiful Day' segueing into 'Gloria' as the band left the stage.


What Bono Said

'What an awesome bass line!' he said, pointing at Adam toward the end of 'Two Hearts Beat As One', before introducing the man 'sitting in for Larry Mullen Jr. because we won't let him stand, Bram van den Berg, on a song he wasn't born [yet] when we wrote'.

Recalling the backstory of the 'War' album and 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', while he and Ali were on honeymoon in 1982. 'While I was away with my bride in Jamaica', he reminded Edge, 'You were back in Dublin in your flat arpeggiating your way out of a corner where you were trying to decide if you wanted to be in U2 or not…. and this song partly answered the question. 
'Edge began working on this song, not even a song, a map of a way forward for our band.... in our head, 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' was like religious music meets The Clash…with a little bit of Bob Marley in there.'

Shout Outs

To Guggi, friend since childhood, who he was with when they discovered graffiti on the wall of a pub bathroom in Dublin that said, 'Elvis is Alive. We're dead.'  'We were about 17, were we not?'

To AJ, Bono's cousin, a member of the U2 crew, who 'fixes things when there's a problem'.

From the Socials

“Two Hearts Beat As One” in the middle set! And “SECONDS”!!!! Oh, my Lord! And such an apropos return of it. And now “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” What a night. @U2 #U2 #U2UVSphere' — @srharmon on X

'What is even happening right now. #U2UVSphere' — @apancella on X

'And I was there to witness it. I need to let this sink in cause my god that was goddamn epic #U2UVSphere' —@AnitaHartgers on X

'Just visiting some old friends we've known since 1980 #u2 #u2LVSPHERE #u2community' — @U2Podcast on X

From Zootopia/U2 Faniverse

'I'm a '40' away from being on the floor!' —U22009

'CAN WE PLEASE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT SO MY HEAD CAN STOP SPINNING' — Canadanne

If you were at the show in Vegas, add your own review and upload your photos here.

Photo credit : Rich Fury

MORE NEWS

ALL NEWS
Carnaval De Luz Indie Record Store Edition
CARNAVAL DE LUZ
Carnaval De Luz, Indie Record Store Edition

Limited Edition Third Man Records Yellow Vinyl of New Album Arrives November 13 at Independent Record Stores

30 SEP 2026
Central Bank Deputy Governor Vasileios Madouros presented the coin to Larry Mullen Jr.
50TH ANNIVERSARY
'Four heads and a silver harp…'

Central Bank of Ireland launches U2 commemorative coin marking 50 years since the band's formation.

28 SEP 2026
Fifty
50TH ANNIVERSARY
Fifty

Live in Dublin fifty years on. Pat Carty was there for U2.com.

27 SEP 2026
'CARNAVAL DE LUZ' - New Album In November.
CARNAVAL DE LUZ
'CARNAVAL DE LUZ' - New Album In November.

The band's first studio album in nine years will be released on November 13th. Silencio, second track from...

24 SEP 2026
It’s Arrived (with a surprise)
SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVES
It's Arrived (with a surprise)

The Days of Ash Propaganda Magazine & EP bundle is here… complete with a bonus Easter Lily edition...

17 SEP 2026
'2027 Persons of the Year'
HEARTS + MINDS
'2027 Persons of the Year'

Band to be honoured by Musicares for 'five decades of musical achievement and humanitarian service'

10 SEP 2026
’Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah’
COMPILATIONS
'Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah'

Release of Pogues cover today, Friday, from stellar line up for '20th Century Paddy - The Songs Of...

28 AUG 2026
'Fireflies'
COLLABORATIONS
'Fireflies'

Out today!  Martin Garrix teams up with U2 on new track 'Fireflies', debuted live with Edge at Tomorrowland...

24 JUL 2026
'In a place called Mexico…'
'In a place called Mexico…'

Behind-the-scenes with band and crew on the shoot for 'Street of Dreams'.

17 JUL 2026
Street Of Dreams - The New Single is Here.
SINGLES
Street Of Dreams - The New Single is Here.

Listen to Street of Dreams, the first single from the band's upcoming studio album.

07 JUL 2026
’BALLROOM BOOM’
TV
'BALLROOM BOOM'

'Ballroom Boom' screening at the Galway Film Fleadh this Thursday.

07 JUL 2026
What a wonder. They're calling it "The Obamalisk"
BONO
What a wonder. They're calling it "The Obamalisk"

Bono and Edge performing City of Blinding Lights at the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center in...

22 JUN 2026
SHOWING 12 OF 4770 STORIES KEEP SCROLLING FOR MORE ↓

Related Topic

Tours
0

LATEST COMMENTS

FROM THE ARCHIVE PICKED AT RANDOM
Street of Dreams 2026 Street of Dreams WATCH →
THE NEW ALBUM
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

The new album. Out 13 November 2026.

PRE-ORDER

SUBSCRIBE TO U2.COM

Special editorial and video, exclusive newsletters and events, 25% coupon for the shop and first access to ticket sales when the band tour.

SUBSCRIBE — FROM $60JOIN FREE