With just a few days to go before U2 officially brings The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 to Auckland, the band has been rehearsing several songs at Mt. Smart Stadium. Spoilers ahead!
Starting Saturday, November 2nd, U2 began posting to Instagram teaser clips of rehearsals, including snippets of “Ultraviolet (Light My Way),” “Mothers of the Disappeared,” “Beautiful Day,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “Bullet the Blue Sky.”
As with The Joshua Tree Tour 2017, the band appears to be continuing to mix The Joshua Tree with hits from the last 15 years. As U2Songs first reported, the following songs have been rehearsed so far:
November 2nd:
- “Elevation”
- “Vertigo”
- “Mothers of the Disappeared”
- “Every Breaking Wave”
- “Even Better Than The Real Thing”
- “Beautiful Day”
- “Angel of Harlem”
- “Ultraviolet (Light My Way”
November 3rd:
- “Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way”
- “The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)”
- “Elevation”
- “Vertigo”
- “Beautiful Day”
- “Mothers Of The Disappeared”
- “Angel Of Harlem”
- “Even Better Than The Real Thing”
- “Every Breaking Wave”
- “You’re The Best Thing About Me”
Per a post on U2Start.com, on the afternoon of the 4th, the band rehearsed “Stuck In A Moment (You Can’t Get Out Of),” “Every Breaking Wave,” “The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone),” “Even Better Than The Real Thing,” “You’re The Best Thing About Me,” “Beautiful Day” and “Red Hill Mining Town.” That evening, U2 did a dry run of what could be their full setlist for the 8th. According to a tweet by Joe Ahorro, the following songs were played:
- “The Whole Of The Moon” (Intro song by The Waterboys)
- “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
- “New Year’s Day”
- “Bad” / “America” (snippet)
- “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”
- “Where The Streets Have No Name”
- “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
- “With Or Without You”
- “Bullet The Blue Sky”
- “Running To Stand Still”
- “Red Hill Mining Town”
- “In God’s Country”
- “Trip Through Your Wires”
- “One Tree Hill”
- “Exit” / “Wise Blood” (snippet) / “Eeny Meeny Miny Moe” (snippet)
- “Mothers Of The Disappeared”
- “Angel of Harlem”
- “Elevation”
- “Vertigo”
- “Even Better Than The Real Thing”
- “Every Breaking Wave”
- “Beautiful Day”
- “Ultraviolet (Light My Way)”
- “Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way”
The November 5th rehearsals featured fewer songs, including the following:
- “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”
- “Mothers Of The Disappeared”
- “Angel Of Harlem”
- “All I Want Is You”
After the band finished playing for the night and left the stadium, the video screen was tested. Several fan reports that the visuals previously used during “Vertigo,” “Mothers of the Disappeared,” “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” “Beautiful Day,” “One Tree Hill” and “Ultraviolet (Light My Way)” were seen on the screen, so it is likely we will see these songs and accompanying visuals again.
After nearly a year off, it is exciting to know that U2 will once again be taking to the stage to perform a mix of time-honored classics and new hits. Also returning to the spotlight in 2019 is Macphisto, with some reporting Bono wearing elements of the costume from the Experience + Innocence Tour during performances of “Elevation.”
© AtU2/McClaskey, 2019
