U2 performed their very first concert in Raleigh today, over 12 years after they were meant to make their live debut in the city. On Popmart's first leg, the band were scheduled to perform in Raleigh on 29 May 1997. However, damage to the big screen meant the concert was cancelled with little advance notice. It's been a long wait for Raleigh - in the intervening years, U2's visits to North Carolina have taken them to Charlotte. Now the band have finally played, and today's concert went ahead. The band performed a soundcheck earlier in the day: David Bowie's Jean Genie, two Gavin Friday songs (King Of Trash and I Want To Live), Breathe twice, and In A Little While. Looks like they were rehearsing for Gavin Friday's 50th birthday gig in New York tomorrow.

Today's setlist was identical to that played two days ago in Charlottesville, except In A Little While took the place of Your Blue Room. This is the first time In A Little While has been played on the second leg; it has had an absence of 68 days since its last performance in Dublin on 25 July 2009. Stuck In A Moment remained as the lone acoustic number, hence today's setlist had five songs from All That You Can't Leave Behind. This is the first time a set has had that many ATYCLB songs since the Elevation Tour finished - the final show of Elevation had six from the album. As for material from U2's current album, Unknown Caller is still missing in action.

Thanks to my friend Travis for holding the fort and updating the setlist live on the U2gigs Twitter account in my absence. The full set was:

1. Breathe
2. Get on Your Boots
3. Mysterious Ways
4. Beautiful Day / C Moon (snippet)
5. No Line On The Horizon
6. Magnificent
7. Elevation
8. In a Little While
9. New Year's Day
10. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / Stand By Me (snippet)
11. Stuck In A Moment
12. The Unforgettable Fire
13. Mofo (snippet) / City of Blinding Lights
14. Vertigo
15. Crazy Tonight / Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (snippet)
16. Sunday Bloody Sunday / Rock The Casbah (snippet) / People Get Ready (snippet)
17. MLK
18. Walk On / You'll Never Walk Alone (snippet)

encore(s):

19. One / Hear Us Coming (snippet) / Amazing Grace (snippet)
20. Where the Streets Have No Name
21. Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
22. With or Without You
23. Moment of Surrender

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

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Posted on October 04, 2009 by Axver