The Joshua Tree Tour 2017

Jul 9 2017
London, UK / Twickenham Stadium
with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
33

'The needle hits the groove…'

Side 1. Side 2. The Joshua Tree 2017. London. Night 2.

'That beat. With Or Without You. Never gets old.' Donal Scannell was at the opening Twickenham show for us on Saturday and he loved it so much he went back again on Sunday. Donal's first U2 show was at Croke Park in Dublin in 1987. Here's what he made of his latest.

'Cigarettes After Sex wafts out over another beautiful evening in Twickenham. Day two of The Joshua Tree Tour in Europe and it's a school night. Most people here have already booked a day off tomorrow and are ready to party.

This tour has such a simple concept but with foundation-rocking results. That concept - The Joshua Tree played live from beginning to end for the first time ever  -  has driven people to new levels of excitement. Chatting with people on the floor there's a myriad amazing stories about why The Joshua Tree means so much to them. The album has been in the world for some thirty years but it's still throwing up fresh experiences as we learned last night in Twickenham.

Sunday Bloody Sunday cranks the show off and the roar of the crowd is rocket fuel. Then New Year's Day shoots through the stadium like the post punk disco classic it is. It's very funky tonight. The Sunday night social U2 have thrown for us. The bass and drums thump through the ground. Everyone's swaying. Dancing breaks out. The loopy intro into Bad feels like a lost Underworld classic "Our aspiration is that we have a great night no one forgets."' Bono says out loud what we're feeling inside.
'Pride' kicks in and I'm stomping like a twelve year old back at the school disco. Bono's rejigged the words to give added Pride Week poignancy, "Sing/ For the dream of a city which is a home to the world / where no-one is judged by colour or language / by faith or gender / ‎In a time of terror keep us tolerant."

The needle hits the groove for Side 1 of The Joshua Tree. Into Where The Streets Have No Name and blood red light fills our eyes as this stomper builds with a rushing funky drum roll. We erupt in unison. Next the shimmying groove of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. This gig is locked down by the swagger of Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton, awesome pair of in-sync bass brothers.
That beat. With or Without You. Never ever gets old. Still feels the same. Time travel is happening on a mass scale here as all 80,000 of us are teleported back to the moment this song entered our lives. Returned to the moment of first transmission. In Ireland our reality changed when With or Without You came out. U2 delivered us a self confidence to think big.

War suits only the few is what Bullet The Blue The Sky pumps out. No one should ever have to put on a helmet and go to war. The fella beside me tells me that he went to his first U2 gig when he was three and hasn't missed a tour since as Running To Stand Still kicks in. Red Hill Mining Town is flooded with a Salvation Army brass band resplendent on the biggest screen in history. It feels like they are here with us.
Bono pays tribute to a man shy of the limelight, "You flip the vinyl over and suddenly it's Side 2. There wouldn't be a Side 2  - in fact there wouldn't be a Side 1 - without Brian Eno who is here tonight." Brian blushes as a crowd around him start pointing at him and chanting En-O, En-O, En-O.

In God's Country is also supercharged with stomp tonight, it's Americana-inventing beat pumps us back towards dancing. Bono reaches out to London in gratitude, in tribute to their people and respect for the Mayor, Sadiq Khan, in attendance.  "London, city of three hundred languages. Classroom of the world, Capital of the world, A whole world inside the M25. London is open. And thank you Mayor Khan for keeping it open."

One Tree Hill and Exit make way way for Mothers Of The Disappeared. All four of U2 are wrapped in deep grooves and the audience hold up thousands of lights, singing in solidarity. Omaima shines again as a bright star tonight. She's a 15 year old Syrian refugee who now lives in a camp in Jordan. Her interview woven into Miss Sarajevo  - renamed Miss Syria on this tour - is something I'll never forget. "I want everyone to have dreams," she shares. The vivid colours of the Zaatari Refugee Camp belie the misery of lives wasted in exile. Our complacency is pierced as Omaima's passport photo image, on a giant flag, passes over people's heads around the stadium.
Like every U2 show I've been to I walk away inspired, resolved, determined to do more with my time on this planet. I walk home grateful to be alive, grateful for my comforts, grateful to U2 for all they've done.'

If you were at the second night in London, tell us all about it. Add your own review and photos below.

Donal Scannell has worked with U2 on different projects for twenty years. His first ever U2 show was The Joshua Tree tour in Dublin's Croke Park in 1987 and he hasn't missed a tour since. @donalscannell

    Sao Paulo - last show of The Joshua Tree Tour 2017. Video by instagram.com/mvsphotography
    Comments
    33
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    louise_38
    Louise farrington
    I've been a fan of the band since 1985 , this picture is of me & my friend a 'U2 virgin ' , Twickenham was her first u2 concert .... she's now hooked & looking forward to the next tour !
    martin_alonso
    From Rosario (Argetina) to Twickenham
    I traveled to London from the city of Rosario (Argetina). It was a dream made real The Joshua Tree Tour, fantastic, a magic moment ... I will be waiting for October 10 and 11 in La Plata. Nos vemos en La Plata... I will follow U2
    Naama33
    Hope to see you in Israel next time
    All the way from Israel to London, whit the next generation. #U2 #TheJoshuaTree2017
    larryjoe
    Sweetest Thing
    Got the Golden Ticket for Show in Dublin. That keeps the record up to date, seen the Lads in every Show since 89 in Ireland, just missed the First Joshua Tree Tour, so can't wait for this One.
    larryjoe
    Pride In The Name Of Love
    Great to see the lads have arrived back in Ireland for Saturdays gig. Saw them in Twickenham on 9 July...Brilliant Show. Posted the following on ticket site in hope of see them here ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ and although it may seem that there is ‘No Line on the Horizon’, ‘With or Without You’ I hope to get ‘One’ (possibly 2) tickets for Saturday so on ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ I can say what a ‘Magnificent’ ‘Beautiful Day’ that was. So to ensure I ‘Sleep like a Baby Tonight’, ‘Get on ur Boots’ and ‘Walk On’ to this Post and PM me if you can help me get my ‘Desire’ of see U2 in the ‘Heartland’ ‘In a Little While’.
    u2mike1960
    EXIT
    BEST EVER!!!
    nooter37787
    2nd night in twickham
    Wot a nite. Am lefted speechless
    pmholden
    BEST Ever !
    U2 Sunday night atTwickenham was one of the best concerts I have been to . I was at the original JT tour at Wembley 1987 & this was up there with that . The sound was massive ! Bono's voice just gets better & better ! For me bullet the blue sky was fantastic . looking forward to the new album , hope it's out soon .
    jm_t4l
    best concert ever...
    thank you so much for this amazing concert...
    Joshua T
    Two things ticked off the bucket list in
    I have been a massive U2 fan since my eldest brother brought me to see them at Wembley 92 for the Zoo TV tour. Since then my love of their music has grown ever stronger, their influence has had such a profound effect on me. I've seen every tour since, but The Joshua Tree was always the tour that if I had a time machine I would have travelled back to witness. So thank you U2 for creating that time machine and making the impossible possible, secondly I had always wanted to see a live performance of One Tree Hill and as a self proclaimed veteran of U2 shows I realise how rare it is to experience that. For me it's one of my favourite U2 tracks. The words are so heartfelt and really draws on my personal experiences and emotions of dealing with life and loss. Thank you U2. See you in three weeks for the Brussels show : )
    MatthewNorth
    Best show ever? Probably.
    Had an amazing time somehow managed to get to the front. The setlist (that I did not look at in advance) was simply stunning, performance, energy, all outstanding.
    Shazwah
    U2 x 2 at Twickenham
    Am very happy and still on a high to have been at both nights in London, thank you Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry - the whole album has taken on a new meaning with this tour. Stunning visual backdrop and the sound from the four of you (and thanks to Joe) never ceases to amaze. Both nights and all the songs were incredible but am still reeling from "Exit" - it took me by surprise (hell no it blew me away). Thank you for being my U2 family, we have all grown in 30 years but like family the love never dies
    antharnell
    Wow!!
    Best show ever!!! Epic doesn't even cover it!!
    Marcel76
    Amnesty found @Twickenham
    3 guys from Germany, England & Italy found together at Twickenham. Amnesty is everywhere!
    ranisheba
    Bono turns concert into church.
    "Our aspirational prayer for this evening is that we might have one of those epic nights that none of us forget.........the sort of occasion where we let go of some things, and hold even tighter to others."
    Matty t
    ONE
    The Second night in the Stadium you learn more about how powerful ONE is with ONE voice ONE Song ONE action....
    cheesemaker
    BEAUTIFUL DAY
    My umpteenth U2 show, my darling Sheena's first! On the pitch at U2 @ Twickenham last night ready for the onslaught, fantastic show highlights included (apart from every song), Bad, Streets, Vertigo, both Red Hill Mining Town & One Tree Hill for first time, we made it out, and back to the hotel without too much bother, via a queue of 80,000 people for a train, an unplanned stop in beautiful Richmond, then a moonlight pint n vodka outside to top off a 'beautiful day', Love this woman so much, Us & U2 Sheena, what could be better...XXX
    HellieH
    Amazing Joshua Tree Tour London
    Best night of my life
    steve_1969
    We were ready to get Elevated!!!!
    Simply great again! Sunday 9th July at Twickenham was just one of many U2 gigs over the last 32 years since first seeing them at the age of 15 on the 1985 Unforgettable Fire tour. Was at Cardiff Arms Park in Wales in 1987 during the original Joshua Tree tour and they were the best band in the world then and remain the best in 2017. Really looking forward to Croke Park on the 22nd July!!!!
    dcharold
    Amazing gig that overstayed its welcome
    Until the end of Joshua Tree U2 at Twickenham is epic, soaring - wide screen rock in every sense. The set openers are stacked with songs that clearly lead to their master piece and JT itself is surprisingly good live and in order, even though its best songs come first. However it's like they said 'hey, let's follow that luxurious epic up with our most adequate songs'. Mysterious Ways (Bono's girl on stage with camera shtick yet again), Vertigo, Elevation, Ultraviolet... sigh. Pop U2. Only 'One' really breaks out and feels as good as the JT material. And no new song, no encore with Noel Gallagher as per last night... a sudden flat ending that takes the crowd by surprise. Oh well... half great.
    U2
    The best band on the world.
    Best Birthday ever
    5th time I've seen u2 and they still never fail to amaze me with their passion, humanity and classic songs
    jimbotheviking
    Jimbo The Viking
    Absolutely Fantastic Show Saturday Night at Twickenham. U2 just get better and better , it was great to hear some of the old songs as well . The Set List was a nice mix , loved every minute of it. Thank you U2 for being a Soundtrack to my life
    Zooachtung
    From Chile to England
    I can't wait to see you and sing every song... They are my motivation to be here and flight many hours.. I wanna run, I want to hide!!!!! Back to the 80`s... When I was born and now I have the opportunity to see they.
    joshmainka
    30 is the new 40
    Heading to London tomorrow with a last minute ticket after missing out in Boston a few weeks ago. First U2 gig was Murrayfield stadium as a 20 year old on August 1st 1987. Glad the anniversary has a rugby theme. How long...
    Yoda77
    Ready to go!!
    Dads 15th show daughters 2nd but first stadium experience
    u2derek
    Finally Have My Tickets for The 9th July
    Not long now boys, wooohooo I want to run - I want to hide I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside I want to reach out and touch the flame Where the streets have no name....you know the rest right...
    Daviesweeten
    London Calling!!!
    Can't wait!!!!
    pauldavid
    Lingard
    I'll be there can't wait for this got j tree box set today very happy man
    drean
    Wembley
    Came over from Dublin to see the lads in the old Wembley in 87, can't wait
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