U2start.com | Every U2 Tour Ranked (2017)

What's up everyone. I've been into live U2 for about three years and I've been wanting to rank each tour for a while now. So, I put them in order and went from there. Without further ado, here is every U2 tour ranked in my honest opinion.

Disclaimer: This is written in an article format. It goes a little in depth so I apologize if it seems too long.

14. Conspiracy of Hope

There's not much to say about this one if you can even call it a tour. Basically, Amnesty International staged about six shows with around seven musical acts to raise awareness for human rights. So why is this tour at the bottom? Because U2 only played 5 original songs. The rest of the set list consisted of covers that had no reason to be played by a band as good as U2. Moving on.

13. October

It's good but it's lacking. Now don't get me wrong, there were some great performances during this tour. However, the set list is missing a few key components for it to feel "complete." With that being said and no novelty of it being U2's first tour, it falls a bit flat in my book.

12. Joshua Tree 2017

I was born in 2001. Unfortunately for me, this is the tour that I got stuck with. I went to see two shows (Pittsburgh and then Philadelphia). Now here's the thing, I'm grateful that I could see U2 let alone see them twice and get second row GA for both. But, what I got in return was nothing short of a letdown. What really turned me off was the set list. There's nothing creative about it. It's greatest hits 80-85, Joshua tree, then greatest hits 90-00s. There's no surprise, there's no creative placement. It's just bland. Someone could argue that the JT deep tracks counted as the surprise songs. But the thing is, U2 themselves said they would play every song on the album. We all knew what was coming. The closers were also bad. The little things left the audience confused, I will follow was average, and Vertigo was just dreadful as an end. Combine all this with the fact that some guy went off on me for being "too young to be into U2" at the end of the Philly show and you get why JT 2017 is this low.

11. Boy

U2's first real tour. What can I really say about the Boy tour? It's U2 in their rawest form. It's energetic, it's tight, and its so interesting to see where it all started.

10. Vertigo

Fast forward to 2005. A year after U2 released their "first real rock album" as Bono says. Enter the Vertigo tour. A tour that, like U2 themselves, didn't know what it wanted to be. Was it their first real "rock" tour? Was it a throwback? Was it a fundraiser for something to do with Africa? We still don't know. The tour, although housing some great ideas (Zoo TV encore), felt very confusing. Songs were out of place, a closing song wasn't defined. Same songs were played in different keys (Mysterious Ways and All I Want is You). It just didn't feel ready. But, with high quality performances accompanied by stellar effects, the tour was partially redeemed.

9. Unforgettable Fire

Great album. Great tour. Enough said.

8. U2360

In 2009, U2 embarked on a journey. This expedition was known as U2360. The goal of this journey was for Bono and the boys to cement themselves as the biggest band of all time. And they sure as hell succeeded. The tour was nothing less than a powerhouse of melody and energy. The stage was huge, the sound was huge, even the set list was huge. However, even with all of this "hugeness," this was not their biggest moment. We'll get to that moment soon.

7. War

Now let's travel back two and a half decades, take away all of the visuals, and double the energy. Your result? The War tour. U2's most political and energetic era. The young Dubliners have finally perfected their set list with content from three albums and were ready to become the best band of the 80s. Everything worked perfectly during this tour. The openning was strong, the closer was awesome, and everything in between had enough variation to keep it fresh. Without a doubt their best tour of the early 80s.

6. Lovetown

1989 was definitely a tough time for U2. Rattle and Hum had its fair share of mixed reviews. It was a movie but... also an album? It was a live album but.... didn't it have a few studio songs on it? Yes, it was a confusing LP. But then Lovetown happened. Strong performances, a lot of set list variation, and a more full sound on songs like "streets" and With or Without You. It was an all-in-all surprising tour with great performances. Just listen to Streets at the Point Depot. Absolutely stunning performance. Now the BB King stuff wasn't great, I admit it. However, I can get through it.

5. Innocence and Experience

At first glance, I+E looks like four crusty old men trying to relive their glory days. However, with closer inspection, you realize that in 2015, U2 was at their performance peak yet again. With perfect song placement, great mix of raw and produced performances, high energy, and all in an intimate arena setting, there's no doubt that U2's I+E is one of their best.

4. The Joshua Tree

There's a reason why U2 tried to remake the magic that was the Joshua Tree era in 2017. It's the tour when U2 really became U2. "Rock's hottest ticket" if you will. This is the tour that all other tours are compared to. And for a good reason. Bono's vocals are at their best, the Edge cemented his unique sound, and the band as a whole were confident and powerful. What more could you want from a U2 tour?

3. Popmart

Remember when I said U2360 was not U2's biggest tour? Well here's their biggest. The electronic and flashy late 90s tour known as Popmart. Now, you may be saying to yourself, 360 had a much bigger stage with its revolutionary "claw." And yes, you would technically be right. However, Popmart defied expectations and broke much more ground. It completely changed U2's sound by perfectly blending electronic music with loud Rock n' roll. Not only that, but it also touched the hearts of many in broken nations like the famous show in Sarajevo. U2360 might have technically been bigger, but Popmart will always be the biggest in our hearts.

2. Zoo TV

You all expected it. You all knew it was coming. And here it is. Somewhat predictable, I know. But where am I supposed to put U2's most revolutionary tour? It's absolutely perfect from beginning to end. The lights, the sound, the sarcastic but meaningful message of information overload, and that awesome set list. Everything blended and segued so perfectly. Songs were perfectly placed. The music was performed phenomenally. And Bono should definitely bring back those huge sunglasses. This was U2's crowning achievement. So....what could possibly pass it up?

1. Elevation

Well...here we are. We've made it to number one. And taking the top spot doesn't have a huge screen. It doesn't have really flashy lights. It's just four guys on a heart shaped stage. How could a tour like this be the number one? Well, for one, it's the set list. Quite possibly their best to date. Elevation kicked the show off with high energy and Walk on closed with hope that was all too real. But practically all U2 tours have a good set list. There has to be another reason. And that reason is the message. The key detail that propels this tour over all the rest. Not everyone agrees with U2's politics or their theory that "TV is evil." However, pretty much everyone agrees with the message of love. And especially during a time like 9/11. U2 didn't give up while the world faced fear. Instead, they set out to make the world a better place in a time of distress. And with all that said, there isn't a doubt in my mind that Elevation was their best tour of all time.

Thanks for checking out my list. I'm definitely interested in what you guys think about it. Feel free to post your own lists. I'd love to see how they'd differ.

u2_michaelc

7 years

I would write what I like about each tour but I can't be bothered sorry I'm lazy today, but will rank.
14) Conspiracy Of Hope.
13) October.
12) War.
11) Lovetown.
10) Boy.
9) Unforgettable Fire.
8) Joshua Tree 30.
7) Vertigo.
6) I and E
5) Elevation.
4) Joshua tree.
3) Popmart.
2) Zoo TV.
1) 360

flet

7 years

Originally posted by u2_michaelc:I would write what I like about each tour but I can't be bothered sorry I'm lazy today, but will rank.
14) Conspiracy Of Hope.
13) October.
12) War.
11) Lovetown.
10) Boy.
9) Unforgettable Fire.
8) Joshua Tree 30.
7) Vertigo.
6) I and E
5) Elevation.
4) Joshua tree.
3) Popmart.
2) Zoo TV.
1) 360

You don't have to write why. I had all day so I said "I might as well." But, anyway, I like that list. 360 is an interesting choice.

u2_michaelc

7 years

Originally posted by flet:[..]
You don't have to write why. I had all day so I said "I might as well." But, anyway, I like that list. 360 is an interesting choice.

360 was the only live experience I've had with U2 so far. But i picked 360 for first as for me it's the greatest production of any band ever! It was more than the show.
A lifetime experience.

LikeASong

7 years

1) Zoo TV
It just set the standard for the new century's rock tours. Bigger than life. From night 1 to 156 it was an incredible trip that changed the way U2 saw the world and the way the world saw U2.

2) Lovetown
Musically superb, the most setlist variation this band has ever done, short and straight to the point. No other tour has the best versions of so many songs as this one. Part of its merit was also giving birth to the greatest tour ever.

3) 360
Megalomania at its finest. From the design of the stage to the groundbreaking PA system and the new level of band-audience connection. It's also the first tour where we saw the band going usually over the 24 song mark. Its only flaw is the lack of confidence and support of the NLOTH album, but nobody seemed to care

4) Elevation
After the double Pop + Popmart fiasco they could only go smaller, go back to where they felt more safe: a handful of arena shows here and there, not fullfiling demand, and with a bare bones show production. The idea was old and tired but they managed to recover most of their audience and make up for the 90's extravaganza.

5) I and E
Once again, after the 360 ostentation parade they had to go smaller and play arenas again. First time since Zoo TV where they feel so confident in the album they're supporting to play more than half of its songs to start the show. Those were some balls!

6) Joshua Tree '87
Four 27 year old Irish guys have to learn how to use fork and knife to eat the world. Static setlist and lack of confidence in some of their earlier and current material (playing MLK more times than Streets sounds like a crime, right?) and some nerves and voice wreckings here and there, but overall a very nice tour.

7) War
A band that, for the first time in 6 years, starts believing that they can do this for a living. I think that, up to December 1982, their musical journey had been more like a hobby; then it became their job, their lifetime goal. They started having a clear idea of what they wanted to become and this and the next tour portraited that perfectly. Also, the War Tour set the basis for Bono's political involvement, with the first speeches during and between songs and his clear statements regarding controversial topics.

8) Vertigo
Had Bono's voice been a little better throughout 2005 and the first half of 2006 this tour would rank higher. I'm a strong defender of U2's/Bono's involvement in humanitarian campaigns and I'm actually proud that they took their Africa-supporting message all across the world, but at times some parts of the show suffered from a bit much of that stuff. Anyway, decent enough setlist variation (everywhere outside Europe as usual), great performances (specially after their 2006 break) and great staging both in their out and indoors settings help to its position half of the rank.

9) Unforgettable Fire & Conspiracy Of Hope
Jumping from theatres and halls to arenas shouldn't have been easy, and you could feel some of that intimidation. Starting the tour before the release of the album wasn't the most clever idea either, and the setlist therefore remained largely unchanged from the War Tour. Nevertheless, as soon as September and October '84 went by, the tour got some traction and the band delivered epic performances all throughout late '84 and the first half of 1985. The Conspiracy of Hope tour happened thanks to Live Aid and therefore I include it into the TUF tour too - and hell, those were six brilliant (and short) gigs!

10) Popmart
Same as Vertigo Tour, it would rank higher if Bono's throat had behaved better. Nevertheless my biggest complain with the Popmart tour is that 18 out of 22-23 songs were staples and repeated each night... ALL throughout the tour!!! It's the most static setlist they've ever done. The tour concept was very good, the tech side of it was fantastic, and if you take one isolated superb show (there's not many of them tho) hell, that's one fucking gem of a show. But as a whole this tour remains one of their lowest points.

11) Boy
Too few material (and many poor recordings) to be considered a proper tour and compete against the great ones, but in regards of energy and performance the Boy tour is fantastic.

12) October
Not much worth mentioning really. Many performances were fantastic and this tour actuall settled the basis for the upcoming greatness of War and further, but otherwise it kind of felt like a continuation of the Boy tour (it partly was, it's unclear when one became the another). The October album was rushed and messed up by the infamous stealth of Bono's suitcase, and the tour kind of felt the same: still unsure of the October material and how it was going to end, the band started performing those songs. Very brave, but very bad for the tour's ranking!

13) TJT30
Uninspired and forced tour that, for the first time in may years, didn't add anything new to the world of U2 live - besides bringing back some songs that hadn't been performed in decades (if ever). Having grown with The Joshua Tree in my discman just as anybody else, seeing those epic songs was obviously a highlight. But do you remember any other tour where a very usual comment by die-hard fans was "one concert was enough"?

Bloodraven

7 years

I loved the comments on each tour from Sergio and Flet, so I'll just subscribe them and rank them adding almost nothing to it...

First, I know it's the same tour, but IMHO is awesome enough that it deserves not just the first spot, but the two first spots:

1. Zooropa

2. Zoo TV
The Sarajevo link ups and the incorporation of some Zooropa nods and tracks (and what IMHO is their best show ever - the "fuck you Europe" Wembley show) makes it worth for me to give the first place to it.

3. i+e
The narrative, the visuals, the structure, the performances... Everything seemed perfect for me.

4. The Joshua Tree

5. War
(I still think that 3 albums is the right amount for a tour... You have enough material to add some variation, but you still get to play most of your stuff)

6. Popmart

7. Elevation

8. The Unforgettable Fire

9. Rattle and Hum

10. 360 (NLOTH)
360 for me counts as two different tours, the first one is when they were still supporting the NLOTH album, and then when it became the greatest hits tour.
Overall, personally I wasn't in a great moment back then, so maybe that's why the whole tour didn't got me that much.

11. Boy

12. Vertigo

13. TJT 30

14. 360 (hits)
I'd rate it higher if they hadn't butchered Mercy.
I really hated that.

15. October

hello123

7 years

Im not going to rank the all because I have only seen 360 and IE in person. I will say looking back and comparing IE to JT I feel so lucky to have seen it. Production and everything was really well done and I didn't realise it at the time.

pleasegone

7 years

Wrote a book here, and not a very good one, but it's all mine!

14) Conspiracy Of Hope-not really a tour, so it almost has to be last
since they had so many others to share a stage with. I did not even know it
was going on in Atlanta on my 17th birthday, and I was and am a HUGE Police
fan. Too bad Sting had too much Sting in his personality, and could not keep
the Police going. I suppose U2 still would have overtaken them as my favorite
band though. If I consider Sting and The Police as one artist, it is closer
than I want to think, but U2 win out. Kinda off topic, huh?
13) Boy- The tour sure had passion, but not enough material to edge
out any other.
12) October-The tour I would have seen had I been allowed to see my
favorite artist of the day, The Mighty Mighty J Geils Band. As great as they
were, they fought too much to stay together, and were forgotten as a solo act
and fractured band
11) Innocene and Experience-one of the few tours I did not get to see after
my first in 1987. Based on the Blu Ray, and the
bootlegs, the tour wreaks of the SOI material
I was not a big fan of. And the rest of the show really seemed to be 360
aftershocks, not bad, mind you, but it appears they were in a late career rut,
but I truly admire them for sticking to the SOI material. In hindsight, the
NLOTH material they quickly gave up on was far better than any of the SOI
songs.
10) Unforgettable Fire- Too bad we don't have a full DVD, but I have gone
through the bootlegs, enough to know it is a great tour, showing a few
hints of the superstardom that would soon follow. Pride was their first really
well known commercial song, and the compassion Bono had was brought to the
forefront for Racism, Drug Addiction, and the polictical awareness remained,
but not quite at the intensity of the War tour.
9) Vertigo- The first of the two tours I did not attend from 87 on, and
this was a pretty exciting show. I remember chasing all the bootlegs, all the
great South American shows where they usually had somebody talking all
over the songs lol. This was the band growing up in my eyes. Vertigo was a
shock as a hit this late in their career was a pleasant surprise. Sadly, Bono
had a frog in his throat for pretty much the entire tour, so I was afraid the
end of him as a live performer was near.
8) Joshua Tree 30 Obviously, it would be unusual for anyone to say it
eclipsed the first JT TOUR. At first, a bit of a letdown for me, as all three
shows I attended were under 2 hours, and as I have complained numerous times
did not feature the new song other cities got ha! Despite the initial letdown
for me, this tour has grown on me. Exit with the funny intro, and I actually
have watched the show they took the "Trump Liar" scene from a few times. Bono
has done well for this tour, as his voice had held up for the most part.
7) Elevation- I only attended one show, but have multiple dvds of other
shows, and even though many consider this a comeback of sorts, they never
went away, as far as I was concerned, and may have even regressed a bit, but
I absolutely loved the new songs, and the mix of songs from all eras.
I openly admit being a sucker for "Stuck In A Moment," and "In A Little While."
6) Lovetown- Technically, we are rating 3 versions of the Joshua Tree Tour
here. Though, one could argue this is also the Rattle And Hum Tour. Ranking
it number 6 on any list does not do it justice. The New Year's Eve 1990 show
has a supreme legacy amongst us diehards, and at times could easily be
considered the greatest moment in the history of the band. Choosing best tours
is like picking the best of your loved ones...can't really do it.
5) War Since this was before I became a fan in 1987, I can only say that the
bootlegs and UBRS helped me see the power and strength of this tour. I can
remember sitting through the Red Rocks show when MTV would play it, and I
wanted to be a fan, but I just couldn't. I had not reached it in my mind to
like this band. I almost hated them, but the mystique of the Fog and weather
conditions of Red Rocks made me really want to be a fan. Years later,
I have enjoyed multiple shows, US festival, the recent
4) 360- Getting anything good from an aging act, promoting a decent new album
and showcasing a technological dream and nightmare, would be a bonus, and
better yet, a great tour, and I had an absolute blast
at the Raleigh, NC show and others. The 2009 shows were the best, and the
Blu Ray of the Rose Bowl a huge letdown, but this was not just a concert,
it was an event. The 2011 shows had some great moments too. "Breathe" was a
great opener if you liked the song the way I do, and "Magnificent" remains
perhaps the best song in the U2 cannon since 2009. They brought the passion
night after night, and I still remember listening to Montreal 2011 with
a few of my fellow U2 Start friends.
3) Popmart- Some say a letdown from Zoo TV, and most would agree it was, but
what a spectacle and show! I saw this in Atlanta in November 1997, and
despite the half empty stadium, the band put on a show that made me forget
it was a critical failure and since the band was on the sensitive side,
a self described "hangover." However, it was one hell of a party worth
the risk of any hangover. Bono, entering the stage as a prize fighter, simply
put on a great vocal performance most nights, with the best band in the world
at the time. Please, Gone, Last Night On Earth were epic, and other than the
cheese of Miami's bah bah bah part, it rocked, like a silly but strong sequel
to "Bullet The Blue Sky."
2) Joshua tree-what else can be said about a tour that changed the entire
landscape of U2's career and most of us as fans who were around then? Just
watch R&H, the Paris DVD, or name your bootleg. I was 18 when I hopped on
a bus to go to the Old Tampa stadium, and the concert was mind altering to
me. (And here's the Prince mention!) Not quite at the level of Prince's
Purple Rain tour, but to the media, and the die hards, it was bigger
and better.
1) Zoo TV-Did I use the word spectacle with Popmart? There was no rock tour
before Zoo TV, and none since. (Just kidding, but if aliens ever attack,
and want to know what a rock tour is, just have them get a screen shot
of ZooTV. Along with 360, I can argue down any
Rolling Stones fan about what was. I am actually a near Rolling Stones
fanatic, so I have over 30 of their shows on DVD and there were a lot
of spectacles, and huge shows, but ZOO TV was an event MTV covered, when
MTV actually mattered. The qualilty and performance of the live material
took U2 even higher than The Joshua Tree did, and is one of those moments
I am so happy to be able to relive with the bootlegs.

u2_michaelc

7 years

Originally posted by pleasegone:Wrote a book here, and not a very good one, but it's all mine!

14) Conspiracy Of Hope-not really a tour, so it almost has to be last
since they had so many others to share a stage with. I did not even know it
was going on in Atlanta on my 17th birthday, and I was and am a HUGE Police
fan. Too bad Sting had too much Sting in his personality, and could not keep
the Police going. I suppose U2 still would have overtaken them as my favorite
band though. If I consider Sting and The Police as one artist, it is closer
than I want to think, but U2 win out. Kinda off topic, huh?
13) Boy- The tour sure had passion, but not enough material to edge
out any other.
12) October-The tour I would have seen had I been allowed to see my
favorite artist of the day, The Mighty Mighty J Geils Band. As great as they
were, they fought too much to stay together, and were forgotten as a solo act
and fractured band
11) Innocene and Experience-one of the few tours I did not get to see after
my first in 1987. Based on the Blu Ray, and the
bootlegs, the tour wreaks of the SOI material
I was not a big fan of. And the rest of the show really seemed to be 360
aftershocks, not bad, mind you, but it appears they were in a late career rut,
but I truly admire them for sticking to the SOI material. In hindsight, the
NLOTH material they quickly gave up on was far better than any of the SOI
songs.
10) Unforgettable Fire- Too bad we don't have a full DVD, but I have gone
through the bootlegs, enough to know it is a great tour, showing a few
hints of the superstardom that would soon follow. Pride was their first really
well known commercial song, and the compassion Bono had was brought to the
forefront for Racism, Drug Addiction, and the polictical awareness remained,
but not quite at the intensity of the War tour.
9) Vertigo- The first of the two tours I did not attend from 87 on, and
this was a pretty exciting show. I remember chasing all the bootlegs, all the
great South American shows where they usually had somebody talking all
over the songs lol. This was the band growing up in my eyes. Vertigo was a
shock as a hit this late in their career was a pleasant surprise. Sadly, Bono
had a frog in his throat for pretty much the entire tour, so I was afraid the
end of him as a live performer was near.
8) Joshua Tree 30 Obviously, it would be unusual for anyone to say it
eclipsed the first JT TOUR. At first, a bit of a letdown for me, as all three
shows I attended were under 2 hours, and as I have complained numerous times
did not feature the new song other cities got ha! Despite the initial letdown
for me, this tour has grown on me. Exit with the funny intro, and I actually
have watched the show they took the "Trump Liar" scene from a few times. Bono
has done well for this tour, as his voice had held up for the most part.
7) Elevation- I only attended one show, but have multiple dvds of other
shows, and even though many consider this a comeback of sorts, they never
went away, as far as I was concerned, and may have even regressed a bit, but
I absolutely loved the new songs, and the mix of songs from all eras.
I openly admit being a sucker for "Stuck In A Moment," and "In A Little While."
6) Lovetown- Technically, we are rating 3 versions of the Joshua Tree Tour
here. Though, one could argue this is also the Rattle And Hum Tour. Ranking
it number 6 on any list does not do it justice. The New Year's Eve 1990 show
has a supreme legacy amongst us diehards, and at times could easily be
considered the greatest moment in the history of the band. Choosing best tours
is like picking the best of your loved ones...can't really do it.
5) War Since this was before I became a fan in 1987, I can only say that the
bootlegs and UBRS helped me see the power and strength of this tour. I can
remember sitting through the Red Rocks show when MTV would play it, and I
wanted to be a fan, but I just couldn't. I had not reached it in my mind to
like this band. I almost hated them, but the mystique of the Fog and weather
conditions of Red Rocks made me really want to be a fan. Years later,
I have enjoyed multiple shows, US festival, the recent
4) 360- Getting anything good from an aging act, promoting a decent new album
and showcasing a technological dream and nightmare, would be a bonus, and
better yet, a great tour, and I had an absolute blast
at the Raleigh, NC show and others. The 2009 shows were the best, and the
Blu Ray of the Rose Bowl a huge letdown, but this was not just a concert,
it was an event. The 2011 shows had some great moments too. "Breathe" was a
great opener if you liked the song the way I do, and "Magnificent" remains
perhaps the best song in the U2 cannon since 2009. They brought the passion
night after night, and I still remember listening to Montreal 2011 with
a few of my fellow U2 Start friends.
3) Popmart- Some say a letdown from Zoo TV, and most would agree it was, but
what a spectacle and show! I saw this in Atlanta in November 1997, and
despite the half empty stadium, the band put on a show that made me forget
it was a critical failure and since the band was on the sensitive side,
a self described "hangover." However, it was one hell of a party worth
the risk of any hangover. Bono, entering the stage as a prize fighter, simply
put on a great vocal performance most nights, with the best band in the world
at the time. Please, Gone, Last Night On Earth were epic, and other than the
cheese of Miami's bah bah bah part, it rocked, like a silly but strong sequel
to "Bullet The Blue Sky."
2) Joshua tree-what else can be said about a tour that changed the entire
landscape of U2's career and most of us as fans who were around then? Just
watch R&H, the Paris DVD, or name your bootleg. I was 18 when I hopped on
a bus to go to the Old Tampa stadium, and the concert was mind altering to
me. (And here's the Prince mention!) Not quite at the level of Prince's
Purple Rain tour, but to the media, and the die hards, it was bigger
and better.
1) Zoo TV-Did I use the word spectacle with Popmart? There was no rock tour
before Zoo TV, and none since. (Just kidding, but if aliens ever attack,
and want to know what a rock tour is, just have them get a screen shot
of ZooTV. Along with 360, I can argue down any
Rolling Stones fan about what was. I am actually a near Rolling Stones
fanatic, so I have over 30 of their shows on DVD and there were a lot
of spectacles, and huge shows, but ZOO TV was an event MTV covered, when
MTV actually mattered. The qualilty and performance of the live material
took U2 even higher than The Joshua Tree did, and is one of those moments
I am so happy to be able to relive with the bootlegs.