1977-04-11

St. Fintans Assembly Hall, Dublin, Ireland

Set List of Show:

Known Set List: (Not in Order)

"Johnny B. Goode"
"Beach Boys Medley"
"Witchy Woman"
"Show Me the Way"
"Heart of Gold"
"Nights in White Satin"
"Peaceful Easy Feeling"
"Communication Breakdown"
"Suffragette City"

Additional Music

Snippets of Other Songs Performed by Feedback:

Show Details:

St. Fintans’s Assembly Hall was the location of the first concert for which U2 got paid. They were the opening act ahead of the Arthur Phybes Band (headlining) and Rat Salad. Tickets for the show cost £0.50. The show opened at 8pm, with U2 taking the stage at 8:30. The show ran until Midnight. U2 at this time were still going by the name Feedback for this performance.

U2 play a mix of covers that night including those listed in our set list above. U2 rehearsed for the show at Adam’s house, as his parents were away for the Easter weekend. And in an attempt to flesh out the band, the band not only featured the full line up of Feedback, they also included Stella McCormick (sister of original member Ivan) and Orla Dunne as backup singers, and Orla on flute as well.

In Hot Press in 2001, Colm O’Hare who organized the event, spoke about the show and revealed that U2 took the stage at 8:30. The show had sold about 400 tickets but needed to sell more and had added U2 as an attempt to bring along more music fans from Mount Temple. O’Hare met with manager Adam Clayton, who provided him with a set list of what the aband would play, including The Eagles’ “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” The Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin” and Peter Frampton’s “Show Me the Way” as well as Bowie’s “Suffragette City.” Jack Dublin, the bass player in Rat Salad also identified that “Johnny B. Goode” was performed because both bands had it in the set, and both bands ended up playing it. U2 attempted to get Rat Salad knocked to the lowest run of the set list sending Larry Mullen to speak to O’Hare, but not having any luck. It is estimated that 600 people were in attendance that night.

U2 played for about 40 minutes in total. Other than some of what was played not much is known about the performance itself, although Gary Eglington, bassist with the Arthur Phybes Band recalls Bono being very upset when they screwed up Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown” and the venue itself was described as being hot and sweaty. Neil McCormick (via his sister) revealed a few additional songs that were practiced including a song by The Rolling Stones, Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold,” The Eagle’s “Witchy Woman” and the Moody Blues “Nights in White Satin.”

The show was mentioned by Adam Clayton in U2 by U2: “The penny dropped that we weren’t getting any better rehearsing for an hour once a week and it became Saturdays as well, and that was a big shift because everyone had to give up free time, real weekends to get into school on a Saturday, so that was another level that we stepped up to. Then we got a gig at a disco in St Fintan’s, a school at Sutton in north Dublin. There were going to be a few bands playing. It was during the Easter holidays in 1977 and my parents were going away, so we rehearsed at my house.”

Officially Released Tracks