1979-08-11

Dandelion Car Park, Dublin, Ireland

Set List of Show:

Main Set:

"Out of Control"
"Speed of Life"
"In Your Hand"
"The Fool"
"Concentration Cramp"
"Another Time, Another Place"
"Stories for Boys"
"Shadows and Tall Trees"
"Cartoon World"
"Alone in the Light"
"Street Missions"
"Life On A Distant Planet"
"Boy / Girl"

Encore:

"Out of Control"
"Glad to See You Go"

Additional Music

Snippets of Other Songs Performed by U2:

"Twilight" (U2) / "Black Dog" (Led Zeppelin) /

Show Details:

U2 play their third show at Dandelion Market. The performance space is in the power room of a car park, which is being used on weekends as a market. The performance venue is put together from cheap materials to build a stage, and is open to all ages, making it an ideal location for U2 to continue efforts to build up a following among younger crowds in Dublin. This show like others, starts at 3pm with admission set at £0.50. The gigs at the Dandelion have taken on mythical proportions over the years with many having claimed to have been at the shows. For a more detailed look at the venue see our interview with John Fisher.

This show is opened by The Strougers. One of the members of that band taped the full performance and in 2018 started offering the recording around for sale. There are some reports that The Edge is sick and misses this show, possibly for an appointment with a doctor. But it is more likely that the show The Edge missed was the July 28, 1979 show at the Dandelion.

Introducing “The Speed of Life”, Bono asks the audience “can you catch up with the speed of life?” as the band kick into the song. “In Your Hand” follows, and Bono shares that “it’s a very fine afternoon outside. This one is about the weather. It’s called ‘In Your Hand’.” The next song, “The Fool” gets little introduction from the band, and Bono is relatively quiet for the opening set of songs.

“Concentration Cramp” is introduced by name. “This is a game I used to play at school. It’s called ‘Concentration Cramp’. I haven’t forgot it, was only last week…” Bono’s getting his stride by the time the band plays “Another Time, Another Place” having heard someone in the audience using the word poser. “This one is for the people I heard when I was in the corner there. Using a word which I don’t like to hear at our concert, called poser. Now a poser is a person who comes along to a concert and just gawks. They open their eyes and just gawk. They say yes or no or let’s go home. Or let’s stay here. There’s a lot of people like that around here. They’re ok. They are just a bit shy…”

“Stories for Boys” is called a new song tonight. The band have just recorded it for their EP “Three” which will be out at the end of September. The EP was recorded on the weekend of August 4 and 5, and this show happens the following weekend. Bono shares he’s struggling to hear in between songs, saying he can’t hear the guitar, and that they didn’t bring the PA.

“Shadows and Tall Trees” follows. It’s very close to the finished version we know, although there’s changes to the instrumental at the start, and a long instrumental is added at the end. During “Shadows” Bono pulls a crowd member onto the stage to dance. It is Elsie Maguire, the self-proclaimed biggest fan of the band. She went to many early shows and is close with Bono, as well as the whole Lypton Village. She was older than the band and their friends, in her early 30s, and Bono loves the attention. After the song he tells the audience “that was Elsie, by the way, my dear girlfriend.”

“Cartoon World” opens with the introduction “this is one about Mr. Burke, Mrs. Burke, and all the little Burkes. It’s called ‘Cartoon World’. Care to grow up to be a very nice boy?” Bono is enjoying the show and shares that it’s a very good concert. “Alone in the Light” is played next. “Street Missions” is introduced as “This is for these people here, they are called street missions. These are the people who walk along the streets and they tell you you’ve lived a life of sin. And they tell you, you should be ashamed of yourselves? You know what? They are right!” It is followed by “Life on a Distant Planet” (sometimes called “Judith” on old bootlegs) and Bono sends it out “for the blind, the deaf, and the dumb,” before the opening lines, “Judith, can you hear me? Can you see me?” The main set ends with “Boy / Girl”, which Bono introduces as “here’s another by the Sex Pistols”.

After “Boy / Girl” the band start to play another song, “Twilight”, but Bono stops the band. He shares “I want to talk to you for a minute because I’m tired. I want to take a break. He wants a cigarette. Afraid I have to catch my breath. I’ve been working very hard. You’ve been alright.” Instead of returning to “Twilight” the band play “Out of Control” instead. “It’s our last number, everyone is going to put their hands in the air.” Bono adds some additional lyrics about being tired, “it’s Friday night, I’m tired and want to go to bed”. The band leave the stage, but are called back by the crowd shouting “One more!” and Bono announced “we’re going now” and the band play “Go Go Goodbye”, a cover of The Ramones.

Officially Released Tracks