Photos by Derrick Weber/Variance
—
U2 kicked off their massive Experience + Innocence World Tour on Wednesday night. Interestingly, the trek launched at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Marking Bono and Co.'s first show in the city since 1983, it was perhaps fitting that the band treated the sold-out crowd to an unexpected setlist, which was absent of many of their most popular songs, including "Where the Streets Have No Name," "Mysterious Ways," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" or anything off The Joshua Tree.
“Thanks for your patience,” Bono told the crowd as the show got underway, a nod to a slight delay of the two-and-half-hour show, with 27 songs and no opening act, while also coyly acknowledging the 35-year gap in T-town performances.
Bono, who said last year "silence is not an option" regarding Donald Trump, also managed to counter the reality-TV-star-turned-White-House-occupant's latest antics, without mentioning his name.
The inspirational messages were evident in the band's performance of "Pride (in the Name of Love)," which included images of Martin Luther King Jr. with footage of the anti-white supremacist protests in Charlottesville.
Bono also surprised fans by bringing back his devilish Mr. MacPhisto alter-ego, saying it's been "much easier for me these days" because the "truth is dead and the KKK are out on the streets of Charlottesville without their silly costumes," all before performing Achtung Baby cut "Acrobat" live for the first time ever in public (see fan footage above).
While that was arguably a welcome gift for many hardcore fans, it's possible the lack of hits might have disappointed some in attendance. But perhaps the setlist of deep cuts shouldn't come as a surprise, as the band's Innocence + Experience Tour in 2015 seemed to be geared more toward the hits. This time around, it seems they're doing something a little extra special.
See photos from the opening night below, followed by the rest of the tour dates.
U2's current tour schedule:
May 4 – St. Louis, MO – Scottrade Center
May 7 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
May 8 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
May 11 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
May 12 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
May 15 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
May 16 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
May 19 – Omaha, NE – CenturyLink Center
May 22 – Chicago, IL – United Center
May 23 – Chicago, IL – United Center
May 26 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
May 28 – Atlanta, GA – Infinite Energy Arena
June 5 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
June 6 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
June 9 – Uniondale, NY – NYCB Live
June 13 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
June 14 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
June 17 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
June 18 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
June 21 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
June 22 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
June 25 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
June 26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
June 29 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
July 1 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
July 3 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun
August 31 - Berlin, DE – Mercedes-Benz Arena
September 1 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes-Benz Arena
September 4 – Cologne, DE – Lanxess Arena
September 5 – Cologne, DE – Lanxess Arena
September 8 – Paris, FR – AccorHotels Arena
September 9 – Paris, FR – AccorHotels Arena
September 12 – Paris, FR – AccorHotels Arena
September 13 – Paris, FR – AccorHotels Arena
September 16 – Lisbon, PT – Altice Arena
September 17 – Lisbon, PT – Altice Arena
September 20 – Madrid, ES – WiZink Arena
September 21 – Madrid, ES – WiZink Arena
September 29 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena
September 30 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena
October 3 – Hamburg, DE – Barclaycard Arena
October 4 – Hamburg, DE – Barclaycard Arena
October 7 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
October 8 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
October 11 – Milan, IT – Mediolanum Forum
October 12 – Milan, IT – Mediolanum Forum
October 15 – Milan, IT – Mediolanum Forum
October 16 – Milan, IT – Mediolanum Forum
October 19 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Arena
October 20 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Arena
October 23 – London, UK – The O2
October 24 – London, UK – The O2
October 27 – Belfast, GB – SSE Arena
October 28 – Belfast, GB – SSE Arena
November 5 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
November 6 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
November 9 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
November 10 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
