After two shows in New Zealand, U2 commenced their run of eight Australian shows today. They performed in Melbourne, the city in which U2 ended their last Australian tour on 19 November 2006. The venue was the same as last time, just in the intervening four years its name has changed from Telstra Dome to Etihad Stadium. During the afternoon, U2's crew did a lengthy instrumental soundcheck, and played many songs that were done during the show (often just pieces thereof), as well as an acoustic Desire riff. Jay-Z also got a soundcheck.

The big surprise of U2's setlist was Bad, performed in the middle of the main set. This is just the third time it has been played in 2010, followinga 23 September 2010 in Brussels and 8 October 2010 in Rome. Mercy made its first live appearance outside of the Northern Hemisphere, and besides the short, pseudo-instrumental opener Return Of The Stingray Guitar, it is the first unreleased song to be performed on the current leg of the tour (or at least first song without a studio release, now that Wide Awake In Europe is out there).

I Will Follow also returned to the setlist, after missing the second Auckland show, while surprisingly Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me stayed in the set; it has normally not been played at consecutive shows. Like at the first Auckland show, Jay-Z joined U2 for Sunday Bloody Sunday, but did not stay for Scarlet. The full setlist was:

1. Return of the Stingray Guitar
2. Beautiful Day / Here Comes The Sun (snippet)
3. I Will Follow
4. Get on Your Boots
5. Magnificent
6. Mysterious Ways / My Sweet Lord (snippet)
7. Elevation
8. Until the End of the World / Anthem (snippet)
9. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Into My Arms (snippet)
10. Mercy
11. Bad
12. In a Little While
13. Miss Sarajevo
14. City of Blinding Lights
15. Vertigo / Highway To Hell (snippet) / Devil Inside (snippet)
16. Funky Town (snippet) / Crazy Tonight / Relax (snippet) / Two Tribes (snippet)
17. Sunday Bloody Sunday / Get Up Stand Up (snippet)
18. Scarlet
19. Walk On / You'll Never Walk Alone (snippet)

encore(s):

20. One
21. Amazing Grace (snippet) / Where the Streets Have No Name / All You Need Is Love (snippet)
22. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
23. With or Without You
24. Moment of Surrender

All details for this show including reviews, videos and photos can be found here.

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Posted on December 01, 2010 by Macphisto