Watch: U2 resurrects ‘Joshua Tree’ rarities and ‘A Sort of Homecoming,’ debuts new song

U2 opened its The Joshua Tree 2017 global stadium tour in Vancouver, B.C., last night, a performance that not only saw the band playing its classic 1987 album in its entirety — including a first-ever performance of “Red Hill Mining Town” — but also debuting a new song and digging up a rarely played fan favorite in The Unforgettable Fire’s “A Sort of Homecoming.”

The band opened its 22-song set (see full setlist and video below) with War hits “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day,” then performed a “A Sort of Homecoming” for the first time since 2001, and only the third time since 1987. After “MLK” and “Pride (In the Name of Love),” the band dove into The Joshua Tree.

While most of the first side of U2’s 1987 classic has been performed regularly over the years, for fans, the real draw to this tour is seeing the songs that populate the record’s second side performed. Until last night, U2 had never played “Red Hill Mining Town” live, and had not performed “A Trip Through Your Wires” since the original Joshua Tree tour in 1987, and had not played “Exit” since 1989.

The encore found the band playing two songs apiece off Achtung Baby and All That You Can’t Leave Behind, plus Passengers track “Miss Sarajevo” (with the late Luciano Pavarotti appearing via recording). Then U2 closed with a brand-new song: “The Little Things That Give You Away.”

The tour continues Sunday night in Seattle. Below, see the full setlist and video from last night.

Setlist: U2, BC Place, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, 5/12/17

1. “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
2. “New Year’s Day”
3. “A Sort of Homecoming”
4. “MLK”
5, “Pride (In the Name of Love)”
6. “Where the Streets Have No Name”
7. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
8. “With or Without You”
9. “Bullet the Blue Sky”
10. “Running to Stand Still”
11. “Red Hill Mining Town”
12. “In God’s Country”
13. “Trip Through Your Wires”
14. “One Tree Hill
15. “Exit”
16. “Mothers of the Disappeared”

Encore:
17. “Beautiful Day”
18. “Elevation”
19. “Ultraviolet (Light My Way)”
20. “One”
21. “Miss Sarajevo”
22. “The Little Things That Give You Away”

“The Little Things That Give You Away” (New — live debut)

“A Sort of Homecoming”

“Red Hill Mining Town” (Live debut)

“Trip Through Your Wires”

“One Tree Hill”

“Exit”

“Mothers of the Disappeared”

“Sunday Bloody Sunday”

“New Year’s Day”

“Ultraviolet (Light My Way)”

“Running to Stand Still”

“Where the Streets Have No Name”

“Miss Sarajevo”

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