The Morning After the Night Before
The Morning After the Night Before
The Morning After the Night Before

The Morning After the Night Before

U2 performed some seventeen songs to an ecstatic audience of 2,000 fans at London's Astoria Theatre last night.

08 Feb 2001
U2 performed some seventeen songs to an ecstatic audience of 2,000 fans at London's Astoria Theatre last night.

It began with Until The End of The World and ended with Forty and featured highlights of almost every period in their two decade career.

Beautiful Day, the second song, gave way to a clutch of songs from All that You Can't Leave Behind including Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of, Elevation and New York.

Bono introduced his band as "the family" at one point, commenting: 'It's only the second time I've ever done this, introduced the band.'

He then announced that U2 were 'reapplying for the job', noting that there were quite a few individuals in the house tonight who, on their night, might qualify.

'You know what the job is?' he asked his audience. 'Best Band In The World' he announced, to a cheer that nearly lifted the roof.

Discotheque segued into Staring at the Sun before Bono introduced the
members of the band, lest anyone in the audience remained unsure. 'Larry, who gave us our first job.' Adam, our 'first manager' and 'musical conscience' of U2, who 'used to sit next to me at school' - though not after twice being 'expelled'. Edge, ' a scientist', 'genius' and 'Zen Presbyterian'... ..... and suddenly the years rolled away and U2 were playing their first ever single for Island Records ''' O Clock Tick Tock', which ran into I Will Follow and was followed by One and All I Want Is You.

The small London theatre was host to the hottest ticket of 2001 and along with hundreds of competition winners - including 500 through U2.COM - plenty of famous faces had won the celebrity compeition for tickets.

Author Salman Rushdie was dancing on the balcony when Bono dedicated The Ground Beneath Her Feet to him - he wrote the lyrics after all - while also singing along was Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, Ed O'Brien and Colin Greenwood from Radiohead, Oasis' Liam Gallagher , actors John Hurt and Matthew Modine, Elvis Costello, supermodels Naomi Campbell and Helena Christiansen, Texas's Sharleen Spiteri, Shaznay Lewis from All Saints, Bob Geldof, Ash, The Divine Comedy, Kylie Minogue, Massive Attack, , Dave Stewart, Formula One supremo Eddie Jordan, comedians Skinner And Baddiel, Queen's Roger Taylor, media mogul Chris Evans and producer Arthur Baker.

Competition winners were reportedly being offered £600 outside the venue for their tickets but most touts were out of luck. The tickets were just too valuable to fans, some of whom had travelled from Holland, Italy, France, Scandinavia and Germany for the chance to see their favourite band in such an intimate setting. More than a hundred fans travelled across from Ireland. U2 tribute band Vorsprung Durch Technik had driven from Hamburg, Germany for 36 hours to see their idols.

U2 closed their ninety minute set with Bad and, for the first time in the memories of many fans present, then played Forty as an encore, with Adam taking on guitar, Edge on bass and Larry finishing the evening alone on stage, with a final wave.

The gig was a warm-up for U2's forthcoming "Elevation 2001" world tour which starts in Miami on March 24 and hits Europe after fifty North American dates.

U2's second single from All That You Can't leave Behind, Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of, went straight into the UK charts at Number 2 on Sunday, the day before the band were declared `God-like Geniuses' at the NME Carling Awards.

Later this month they are to be given a lifetime achievement award at the Brits and are nominated in three categories at the Grammys.

Full Astoria set list

Critical Acclaim For Astoria Show

Check it out

MORE NEWS

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

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

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

28 SEP 2026
Fifty
50TH ANNIVERSARY

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

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

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

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

10 SEP 2026
’Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah’
COMPILATIONS

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

28 AUG 2026
'Fireflies'
COLLABORATIONS

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…'

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

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

07 JUL 2026
’BALLROOM BOOM’
TV

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

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

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 ↓

LATEST COMMENTS

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.