1979-02-03

McGonagles, Dublin, Ireland

Set List of Show:

Additional Music

Snippets of Other Songs Performed by U2:

Show Details:

U2 play a second show at McGonagles, kicking off a series of Matinee shows at the club for the underage crowd who are unable to attend shows at the licensed establishment in the evenings. U2 had kicked off the shows the previous week and return to play this second show in the series. This show is mentioned in a Hot Press review of the previous week’s show, by Bill Graham. In the review, In the review Graham mentions, “They return there this weekend. (Memo to McGonagles: because these customers aren’t winedrinkers, extra effort must be made to aid the atmosphere.)”

These afternoon shows at McGonagles opened the club to a younger audience, and U2 played the first two weekend shows. They were also due to play the next week, on February 10, 1979, but had to cancel at the last minute, and that support slot was filled by The Vipers instead.

U2 played McGonagles a number of times in the late 1970s. The venue, located at 21A South Anne Street, started hosting concerts in 1978 and continued to do so until 1992. Prior to that, it was known as The Crystal Ballroom. Bono’s parents, Iris and Bob would often go dancing at The Crystal Ballroom and Bono would later write about the venue in “The Crystal Ballroom”: “My mother died when she was at her father’s funeral. I was only 14. And in this song I am singing, “Everyone is here tonight, everyone but you.” And it’s me wanting to see my mother dance again in the Crystal Ballroom and for her to see what happened to her son.”

Related News

Officially Released Tracks