1980-07-10

Clarendon Hotel, London, England

Set List of Show:

Set List (Incomplete):

"11 O'Clock Tick Tock"
"An Cat Dubh"
"Into the Heart"
"The Electric Co."

Encore (Likely Incomplete):

"I Will Follow"

Additional Music

Snippets of Other Songs Performed by U2:

Show Details:

On the back of positive buzz for the band brought on by U2’s tour dates in London in June, Island Records arranges a further three shows in the London area, to spotlight their new signing. The shows were heavy on music press who were invited to see the young band to build up buzz for the album to be released in the Fall. The tour was advertised as the “Three Days…” tour in press. U2 picked up an additional show at the Marquee, supporting the Photos outside of the three headlining gigs.

The first of these shows is at the Clarendon Hotel, in Hammersmith on a Thursday night. U2 are supported by Medium Medium, and Midnight and the Lemon Boys. Tickets are £1.75 in advance, and £2.00 at the door. The doors open at 8pm. The venue capacity is 500, and only about 200 people are in attendance according to a review in Hot Press with Bill Graham saying, “And that’s included a high guest list quota of interested bands and Island records staff. I wander around looking for teenagers – they’re hard to find.”

From reviews of the show it is known that the band play “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” and “The Electric Co.” as well as “An Cat Dubh”, “Into the Heart” and “I Will Follow”. In his review of the London trip, Bill Graham mentions that the band are debuting “An Cat Dubh”, “Into the Heart”, “Saturday Night” and “I Will Follow” during the shows in London, but he does not specify which shows these are played at. Three of the four, however, are known to debut this evening.

In Melody Maker Paulo Hewitt writes, “Their performance last Thursday was easily the finest display of awe-inspiring rock that I’ve witnessed in a long time,” and sharing “they ran riot with passion, honesty, commitment and above all, humility. They conjured up a music so refined, so refreshing, so unique that at times it defied description. Each song was so instinctively right, so close to the bone that it was frightening. They were built like epics – from the Edge’s guitar harmonics to the exhilarating vocal climax that vocalist Bono brought to bear. Visually, they’re a treat. When you weren’t watching the impassioned gyrations of Bono, wondered how the rest of the band kept their emotions in such disarming check as they delivered music that bristled with power and intensity.”

Bill Graham who had long supported the band, and had traveled over for the shows wrote in Hot Press, “And the circumstances of environment and audience make for a struggling emotionally naked gig. There’s nothing inaccurate or unfeeling about the band’s playing but the confrontation between band and the worldliest audience of the tour has its moments when the daredevil comes close to desperation. With wild determination, Bono keeps bringing his toys to them, keeps demanding ‘Look at this’ but the chemistry is odd and you know he knows it. The audience has come to measure U2 against their building reputation as ‘At least this week’s thing’ and won’t be willed into enjoyment.”

Bono brings three fans on stage during the encore, while performing “I Will Follow”, one wearing a Sid Vicious T-shirt.

Officially Released Tracks