1979-06-28

McGonagles, Dublin, Ireland

Set List of Show:

Additional Music

Snippets of Other Songs Performed by U2:

Show Details:

U2 play four shows, each Thursday in the month of June at McGonagles. These shows are titled “The Jingle Balls” and are advertised as celebrating Christmas in June. This is the fourth of these shows, and although originally planned as the final show, U2’s residency is extended into July. The shows are complete with with Santa Claus as a support act (played by Dave-Id of the Virgin Prunes) and “Poo the Ventriloquest.” Admission for these shows is £0.75. Little is known about this show. The set list is unknown.

This particular show also featured Revolver in support, although there is some confusion when Revolver are added to the bill, as they ask to be the headliner knowing that there are A&R record company executives paying a visit to see U2 play.

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.” On July 1, 2018, Bono remembered from stage that U2 had played McGonagles 29 times in their career. That night was their 30th performance at Madison Square Garden, making it U2’s most played venue, but up until that point, McGonagles appears to have been the most played.

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