My Favorite U2 Radio Show

by Peter Longworth

The final show of the Zooropa Tour was on August 28th 1993 at the RDS Showground, Dublin, Ireland. Westwood One Radio Networks broadcast the show around the globe to an estimated audience of 400 million people. The show was pressed onto 3 CD's and distributed to American radio stations as "Live from Dublin". Record Collector in the UK stated "With a total running time of 3 hours 40 minutes, it represents the absolute cream of the genre. Considering that it is a rare occasion indeed when a broadcast company commits itself to an entire live set, and the fact that so few copies of "Live from Dublin" exist - perhaps as few as 50 - 80 copies - the value of £300 gains a little perspective".

The show was hosted by Dave Fanning from RTE 2 FM in Ireland who is no stranger to U2 fans and D.S.Stein from Westwood One. It opens with interviews with fans outside the stadium, some of whom burst into song. There are some dubious renditions of Mysterious Ways, Angel of Harlem and One amongst others. D.S.Stein then chats with Dave Fanning about an interview he did with Bono and The Edge a few days previously. "They love being back home" says Dave.

The Edge is asked whether Zoo TV can get any bigger - He says they are still trying to make sense of stadium venues but the software/creative aspects can go further. Bono says "...purists are offended by Zoo TV, we are much more excited breaking new ground." Maire Brennan, from Clannad then outlines the significant impact that U2 have had on the Irish music scene. Peter Aitken, the show promoter is then interviewed and says that U2 haven't changed at all from their early 1980 gigs - but the size has!!

Dave Fanning then recollects one of the first times he caught U2 live. It was at a 24 hour festival at the Project Arts Centre in Dublin. U2 took the stage at 4.00 AM to an audience of 3 people !! The concert was awful, most of the early demos were awful but Dave Fanning remembers hearing New Year's Day for the first time and thinking "...it starts now."

All the profits from the Dublin show were donated to charity - around £315,000 - The director of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (one of the charities to benefit) was interviewed She said "U2 have always supported us and are all very interested in the work that we do. We value the fact that U2 is a band who think about people who are badly off and realise how important it is that there are organisations there where people can go to - where they will be treated with respect and confidentiality".

Then it's back to Dave Fanning's interview. Dave asks The Edge if the tour made the album Zooropa. "Yes" says Edge "The Zoo TV tour started us thinking in a new way about music and about where visuals and music collide." What do Bono and Edge think about playing their hometown - Edge "There's no way it's like any other gig, playing in front of the Dublin audience, because...." Bono interjects "...most of the people are on the guest list". Edge "There's always a very special atmosphere at the Dublin shows, they tend to turn into incredible parties." Bono "Personally the Irish audience puts the fear of God into me - I don't know what it is - It's the big fight - You know what I mean." The guest list jokingly referred to by Bono includes Salman Rushdie, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Jim Kerr, Bob Geldof, Mick Jagger and Nastassia Kinski.

Interspersed with the previous interview segments, studio versions of Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car, I will follow, Paint it black, Sunday bloody Sunday, Salome and Zooropa are played.

It's then into the concert proper and what a concert!2 hours, 7 minutes of genius. The set list is: Zoo station/The fly/Even better than the real thing/Mysterious ways/One/Unchained melody/Until the end of the world/New year's day/Numb/Trying to throw your arms around the world/Angel of Harlem/When love comes to town/Stay (Faraway so close)/Satellite of love/Bad/Bullet the blue sky/Running to stand still/Where the streets have no name/Pride (In the name of love)/Desire/Help/Ultraviolet (light my way)/With or without you/Love is blindness/I can't help falling in love.

While the crowd are waiting for Mr. Macphisto to appear on stage Dave Fanning and D.S.Stein review the events so far. Naomi Campbell made a surprise visit onstage during Tryin' to throw your arms around the world and she took the handy cam off Bono and started to film Adam so Bono burst into an impromptu wedding march. Dave Fanning said "The Irish press are saying that their relationship is over but let me tell you - I was at a wedding last week with Adam and Naomi - he is a man in love - the two of them were, if you'll pardon the expression, locked into each other having a very good time - they are in love - they will get married and there's no problem."

After the concert some of the fans streaming out of the RDS give us their reaction - It was magic - It was just brilliant - I wanted it to go on forever - U2 were out of this world - I've never seen anything as visually stunning as that - It was truly spellbinding.