1981-03-06

Paradise Theater, Boston, MA, USA

Set List of Show:

Main Set:

"The Ocean"
"11 O'Clock Tick Tock"
"Touch"
"An Cat Dubh"
"Into the Heart"
"Another Time, Another Place"
"The Electric Co."
"Things to Make and Do"
"Stories for Boys"
"Twilight"
"I Will Follow"

Encore:

"Out of Control"
"11 O'Clock Tick Tock"
"The Ocean"

Additional Music

Snippets of Other Songs Performed by U2:

"Cry" (U2) /

Show Details:

U2 play two shows in Boston, as they did in Washington DC a few days before. Both shows are held at the Paradise theatre and both are sold out based on strong word of mouth, and promotion on local radio station WBCN. Not only are they playing two shows, but they are recording the both for Warner Brothers (Their USA distributor) to use for promotion on radio. It is the early show that is recorded and shared with radio stations across the country, and used for several U2 releases. Attendance at both shows is 1000 people.

La Peste is recognized during this first show as a local band. Bono also mentions the band that had opened for them the previous night in Albany, Mission of Burma, as hailing from the area. He speaks about how he views American bands help each other out, after a discussion with the lead singer of Mission of Burma, and Bono says that Irish bands don’t interact and are not friendly, “I’m from Ireland, where not too many people say good things about other bands.” The band take an hour long break between shows. The set lists are slightly varied between the two shows to keep things fresh for anyone who might be attending both.

A review of the first show in the Boston Globe by Steve Morse read, “In person, though, the band blows both hot and cold. Last night’s first show got off to a tough start because drummer Larry Mullin’s bass drum broke, and the band never seemed to really hit stride. The band’s strength is to sneak up on you by following slow, moody passages with moments of rave-up energy, but they tended to become predictable after a while, plus singer Bono employed too much echo. This tended not only to obscure the lyrics but to give the band a gimmicky impression that undermined their talent.” The review later finishes with “U2’s potential was verified by songs like the guileless ‘Into the Heart’ (where guitarist The Edge, who never uses his real name, reeled off some gorgeously lyrical runs), the rocking ‘Stories for Boys’ and the anthemic ‘I Will Follow.” The reason, though, you can’t yet give a total stamp of approval to the group is that their nonalbum material was weak and outside of Bono, the band had a mechanistic stage presence. Neither bassist Adam Clayton, nor The Edge for that matter, showed much expression.

U2 has released a number of tracks from this show over the years, and in 2004, finally released the full show as part of “The Complete U2“ set on iTunes. “The Ocean”, “11 O’Clock Tick Tock”, and “Cry / The Electric Co.” were previously released as b-sides to “Fire” in 1981. “An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart” was released on the NME promo cassette, “NME Dancin’ Master” in 1981. “Stories for Boys” and “Out of Control” were released on the “Sweetest Thing” single in 1998. “Out of Control” was also used on the “I Will Follow” single released in North America in 1981. “I Will Follow” was used as a b-side to the “Gloria” single in 1981. And the full show has also been used for radio promotion over the years.

Knowing the show was being broadcast for radio perhaps, there are few snippets included this evening, with only “Cry”, U2’s own song, being included ahead of “The Electric Co.”

Officially Released Tracks