1987-12-19 - Tempe

1987-12-19 - Tempe, Arizona: Our first selection for part 2 and our final selection for the Joshua Tree tour is a show from Tempe, the city where the tour started. This is where U2 shot the colour section for Rattle and Hum, spread over two nights. Both nights are instant sell-outs as U2 lowered the price for admission to a mere 5 dollars. Fans from all over America travel to Arizona to witness two amazing shows. This first show features an amazing performance of Where The Streets Have No Name. Other highlights include With Or Without You, One Tree Hill and Mothers Of The Disappeared. Another important show and another moment where U2 peaked at the right moment and forever immortalised in the Rattle and Hum movie.

1989-12-30 - Dublin

"I was explaining to people the other night, but I might've got it a bit wrong.. this is just the end of something for U2. And that's what we're playing these concerts, and we're throwing a party for ourselves and you. It's no big deal, it's just.. we have to go away and.. and dream it all up again." - Bono

1989-12-30 - Dublin: At the end of 1989 U2 play four shows in Dublin, their first indoor gigs in Dublin since 1982 (and last until 2015). U2 wanted this to be a special occasion, playing their hometown at the start of a new decade in an indoor setting. All four shows were very special and considered to be among the best shows U2 has ever played. After two days off and without the tension of the first shows, U2 play an incredible show on the 30th of December which many regard as their best ever in Ireland. The show features the first performance of She's A Mystery To Me, the first of 11 O'Clock since 1987 and amazing performances of With Or Without You, Streets and All I Want Is You. Of historical significance, it is in this show which Bono makes the famous "dream it all up again" speech, which signalled the change in the band's musical direction that would ultimately lead to Achtung Baby and Zoo TV.

1990-01-10 - Rotterdam

1990-01-10 - Rotterdam: The final show before they ''dream it all up again'' took place in January 1990 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The show was part of four shows to make up for two earlier cancellations in Amsterdam earlier in the tour. Fans from all over the world made the trip to be part of the end of tour party. U2 put on a mindblowing show to wrap up the Lovetown tour, with an incredible enthusiastic audience and legendary performances of Desire and Bad. Over the opening notes of Love Rescue Me, Bono speaks of his admiration for the band and crew, listing all of his life's heroes. The Lovetown tour couldn't have a more fitting ending, with a show that stands for everything this tour had to offer: energy, emotion and incredible performances.

1992-02-29 - Lakeland

"What can I say? The tour starts here. Take a look at what we got for Christmas here: we got a TV station. Wanna watch this? Who needs this shit? Let's go, rock & roll!" - Bono

1992-02-29 - Lakeland: The new U2 presented themselves in February 1992 in Florida with their first American concert since 1987. The first show of the tour showed that this was a massive departure for U2. A huge stage with 36 television screens, six Trabant cars, a b-stage and a DJ playing a set from a seventh Trabant car before U2 come on stage. New music, new looks, a new tour: this is the U2 who dreamed it all up again and the start of what would turn out to become U2's greatest tour of their career. This show featured the live debuts of 10 songs from Achtung Baby, some of which performed in slightly different arrangements than later in the tour (such as Mysterious Ways, Wild Horses and Ultra Violet). With the excitement of the audience and world's press, the excitement of the band being back on the road and the fantastic music of Achtung Baby in this incredible live setting, this show is more than just historical. It's a must-listen.

1992-05-22 - Milan

1992-05-22 - Milan: This show is one of the highest rated shows on our site. It is close to perfect. U2 were scheduled to play two shows in Milan with the first to take place on May 20th, however this show was postponed until May 22nd due to a truck breakdown delaying the tour equipment arriving at the venue. U2 put on an outstanding show here hoping to make up for the troubles two days earlier. With a crazy Italian audience singing along to every bit, many songs performed to perfection from a band making up for something. Our great audio recording captures everything perfectly: from the energetic start of the show, the audience singing along to every word and the first live appearance of So Cruel as a snippet during Bad. This show represents U2 at the absolute peak of their powers playing to an equally fired up crowd. Absolutely essential

1992-06-11 - Stockholm

1992-06-11 - Stockholm: this show, famous under its name "Dancing Zoo TV", is another classic from the Zoo TV tour. Besides fthe fact that this show is available in an amazing quality (video and audio), the show itself is yet another example of everything Zoo TV had to offer. The band (and in particular Bono) were truly on fire, bringing the audience one of the best performances of Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Mysterious Ways, Ultra Violet (Light My Way), Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World and Bullet The Blue Sky. Making this show more legendary was the performance of Dancing Queen, where Bjorn and Benny from ABBA joined U2 on stage for a thrilled and energetic audience. A show to admire, a U2 essential.

1993-08-12 - London

"Outside it's America.. America.. where the fuck are you?! United Kingdom: fuck you! Fuck you Germany! Fuck you France! Zoo-nited Nations, Zoo-nited Nations!" - Bono

1993-08-12 - London: the second year of the Zoo TV tour gave the tour a whole new setting, with the addition of songs from the Zooropa album and the tour going outdoors. This show in Wembley Stadium featured the last performance of Zooropa until 2011, an amazing version of Bad with a violinist and the performance of four Zooropa songs in a row (Numb, Zooropa, Babyface and Stay). This show is a must for fans of the Zoo-era, there is a lot of emotion in this show (Bullet The Blue Sky being an example, performed with a lot of anger with Bono going nuts at the end) and to hear early live versions of many Zooropa songs is something very rare. On top of all of this, there was also a satellite link with Sarajevo, adding another layer to the show. A show that truly has it all.

1993-08-28 - Dublin

1993-08-28 - Dublin: U2 coming home is always something special, and for the last Zoo TV tour in Europe U2 bring it all together. The show is broadcast on radio radio ("Zoo radio") to an estimated 400 million listeners across Europe and America. As with the Dublin shows in 1989 there was a lot of excitement and anticipation in the days leading up to the show. Thousands of fans from all over the world come to Dublin for a festive and powerful show. This show features the last Zoo TV performances of Desire, Bad, Ultra Violet and When Love Comes To Town and an unforgettable performance of Ultra Violet. Another special mention goes to the segue of Bad into Bullet The Blue Sky with a great snippet of The First Time. This show is not only one of the best audio recordings you can find, but also one of the best shows there is. It's a classic ending and representing one of U2's finest tour legs: Zooropa.

1993-11-27 - Sydney

1993-11-27 - Sydney: the two shows U2 performed in Sydney are memorable for a few reasons. The first night marks U2's first performance without one of his members as Adam feels too sick to perform, leaving bass technician Stuart Morgan to fill in. The second show (with Adam back in place) was broadcast live to pay per view audiences and later officially released as "ZooTV live from Sydney". This show is the official documentation of the Zoo TV tour and stands alongside Red Rocks and Live Aid as U2's most televised and globally exposed concert footage. U2 put on a solid performance with strong performances of Dirty Day, Lemon and Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car. While U2 may not put on their most legendary performance, this show certainly shows and captures everything that Zoo TV was all about.

1997-08-28 - Leeds

"Good people of Yorkshire, you've made a terrible mistake! George Harrison says you shouldn't be here. It's all big fucking hats and lemons and... I won't play for you George, pump it up!" - Bono

1997-08-28 - Leeds: Bono responded to George Harrison's assertion that no one will remember U2 in 30 years with the middle finger and a memorable show in Leeds. A lighting storm lingered all day but miraculously stopped for U2's set. This concert showed G. Harrison and critics that with all its paraphernalia, Popmart could connect with the people. Miami never sounded this good and Singing In The Rain for Edge's Karaoke is a real treat. Last Night On Earth feels at home in Leeds as the cartoon characters speak in a Yorkshire accent. Despite feeling hurt by Harrison, the band plays tribute to him with snippets of Something and My Sweet Lord in Mysterious Ways, and also by closing the show with Rain, a fitting end to a legendary concert.

Honourable mentions

Trying to condense a 40 year career into just 40 notable shows is an impossible task. U2 are one of the most heavily toured bands in history and as such, we have to leave a lot of shows out. The next part of this series features more shows from Popmart but a few shows between 1989 and 1997 that didn't make the final cut a worth a mention: 1992-10-14 - Houston, 1993-11-26 - Sydney, 1995-09-12 - Modena and 1997-04-24 - Las Vegas.

Explore all parts: Part 1 · Part 3 · Part 4