03/03/1981 Bayou Club - Washington, District of Columbia, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Touch, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Twilight, I Will Follow
encores: Out of Control
comment: First of two shows that night.
03/03/1981 Bayou Club - Washington, District of Columbia, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Touch, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Twilight, I Will Follow
encores: Out of Control
comment: Second of two shows that night.
03/04/1981 Bijou Cafe - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Touch, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Twilight, I Will Follow
encores: Out of Control, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean
comment: U2 are billed as U●2 and their support act as The Thrills. During the show Bono mentions that the band had just learned Boy was charting in the US.
03/05/1981 J.B. Scott's - Albany, New York, USA
I Will Follow
comment: Most of the set is unknown, I Will Follow is the only song confirmed to have been played.
03/06/1981 The Paradise - Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Twilight, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow
comment: The only time Twilight is known to have opened a concert. Second of two sellout shows that night. Both are recorded for their US distributor Warner Brothers to play on radio for promotion across the country, though the band are reported to prefer the first performance.
03/06/1981 The Paradise - Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Touch, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Twilight, I Will Follow
encores: Out of Control, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean
comment: First of two sellout shows that night. Both are recorded for their US distributor Warner Brothers to play on radio for promotion across the country, though the band are reported to prefer this first performance. Larry's bass drum reportedly breaks during the set.
Multiple songs from this concert are released in the years to come: The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, and The Cry/The Electric Co. are included as B-sides on the Fire single, I Will Follow as B-side on the Gloria single, An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart on NME Dancin' Master, Out of Control as B-side on the North American I Will Follow single, and Out of Control and Stories For Boys as B-sides on the Sweetest Thing single. Eventually the entire show is released in 2004 as part of The Complete U2, under the title Live from Boston 1981.
03/07/1981 The Ritz - New York, New York, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Touch, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Twilight, I Will Follow
encores: Out of Control, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean
03/09/1981 Le Club Montreal - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
setlist not available
comment: U2's first concert in Montreal. The concert is promoted by CHOM-FM, who interview the band earlier in the day.
03/10/1981 Barrymore's - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The Ocean
comment: Setlist is incomplete. U2's first of only three concerts in the Canadian capital. Early advertisements bill them as being from England, something corrected closer to the actual date of performance; despite this, a review in the Ottawa Citizen the next day calls them a "British group" in the headline. An ad in the same paper the day of the concert named the group as U-2.
This show is one of the rare few where the complete contract for the concert is known. U2 receive 100% headline billing and have a fee of $750 USD. Capacity is limited to 250 people (despite later reports that claim 400 were in attendance). The contract for the concert was signed the month prior.
03/11/1981 Maple Leaf Ballroom - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I Will Follow
comment: Reportedly the first U2 concert attended by Arthur Fogel. They are billed as U-2 in promotion. The show is promoted by CHUM-FM and they film during the soundcheck. The concert itself is known to have been filmed at least in part; a clip of I Will Follow from this concert was shown on Much Music multiple times over the following years and was shown to the band themselves on the Canadian program 'U2 Does Much' 20 years later, after an Elevation Tour concert in Toronto. Unfortunately, beyond this brief clip the rest of the set is unknown.
03/13/1981 Backdoor - San Diego, California, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Touch, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Twilight, I Will Follow
encores: Out of Control, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean
comment: The circumstances of this concert (including whether it even happened) are among the most puzzling in U2's history. Multiple sources, including publications for radio listings from February and March 1981, advertise a date of 14 March. The second publication was included in the US I Will Follow single as a poster, which can be viewed here thanks to U2Songs. This date is also printed in the book U2 Live. Over the years, sources have listed the venue as The Olde Globe Theatre. However that location was destroyed by fire in 1978 and did not reopen until 1982.
An advert in the Daily Times-Advocate on the 5 March (which bills the group as U-2) and a second in the same newspaper from the 12 March both mention the band performing at San Diego State University's Backdoor Cafe on 13 March, as found by U2Tours; this is also where the information on the support act comes from. However events at the Backdoor would usually be advertised in the student newspaper The Daily Aztec, and editions from that time contain no mention of any U2 concert at that venue. Moreover, in a 2005 newspaper article the Backdoor's talent booker of the early '80s stated he passed on booking U2 as they requested a fee of $1000 USD and he "didn't think more than five people would come."
A recording purported to be from this concert exists and is where the setlist comes from, but if anything it only muddles the details even further. At one point Bono mentions having been there (i.e. San Diego) before, however this was U2's first concert in the state of California let alone in San Diego. So we have two ads promoting a U2 concert in the city on 14 March, two further ads printed later on with a date of 13 March at a venue that denies they were ever booked to play there, and Bono's comments during the recording purported to be from this event suggest that he either forgot it was their first time in the city or the recording itself is actually mislabelled and comes from a different as-yet unidentified Boy Tour concert. Although we are fairly sure a concert in San Diego did take place, as a result of all of this we are unsure of when it was, where it was, and possibly even what was played.
What we believe to have happened is this: several dates previously on the tour had a late change of date or venue; one such example took place in France just three months earlier and another caused the cancellation of what would have been U2's North American debut. It is likely that a date of 14 March was originally scheduled, but after the initial radio promotions the concert had to be rescheduled to a day earlier for unknown reasons. Whoever was in charge of booking locations was confident enough to list the Backdoor in ads but this fell through during negotiations over the fee. A last minute change to a currently unidentified venue that was available on the 13th was made as a result.
As of 2022 we list a date of 13 March and the venue as the Backdoor as that is the information in the ad closest to the scheduled date of performance.
03/15/1981 Wolf and Rissmiller's Country Club - Reseda, California, USA
The Ocean, Twilight, I Will Follow, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, I Will Follow, A Day Without Me
comment: Due to strong local promotion on radio station KROQ, this show is near capacity and the band plays to an audience of 600 people.
03/16/1981 The Woodstock Concert Theater - Anaheim, California, USA
setlist not available
comment: Widely printed reports that only a dozen people attended this concert are false, though it was poorly attended.
03/18/1981 San Jose State Student Union Ballroom - San Jose, California, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean
comment: Admission to this show is free, and it is hopelessly over-packed; the venue is only designed to hold 1,000 people but nearly 2,000 cram in to see U2 (who are billed as U-2). The supposedly earthquake-proof building (the concert is held in a room on the second floor) began to visibly flex during the show to the degree that crew were forced to try to hold the speakers in place as they began to move across the stage. Following the concert the building is re-engineered to give it extra support.
03/19/1981 The Old Waldorf - San Francisco, California, USA
Twilight
comment: Setlist is incomplete.
03/20/1981 The Old Waldorf - San Francisco, California, USA
The Ocean, Twilight, I Will Follow, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Yankee Doodle (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, I Will Follow
03/22/1981 Fog Horn - Portland, Oregon, USA
setlist not available
comment: This is the infamous show where Bono reportedly lost (or had stolen) his briefcase containing a notebook of unused, unfinished lyrics intended for October.
03/23/1981 Astor Park - Seattle, Washington, USA
The Ocean, Twilight, I Will Follow, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Setlist is possibly incomplete and is taken from a paper copy made before the show, except for the second I Will Follow which was explicitly stated to have been repeated in the encore in the Seattle Weekly News. The main set is likely complete as it matches other shows from the same period of time; however U2 have deviated from the printed set on multiple occasions and Boy Tour setlists did not write the encore, so we believe at least two songs are missing from the end of the concert.
03/24/1981 Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Ocean, I Will Follow, Stories for Boys, Out of Control
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Setlist is incomplete and order is uncertain. The band reportedly play three encores. Talking Heads bassist Busta Jones (introduced as Buster Johnson) joined the band on stage for a song in the encore.
03/26/1981 New Faces Roadhouse - Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
setlist not available
03/28/1981 Rainbow Music Hall - Denver, Colorado, USA
The Ocean, Twilight, I Will Follow, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, I Will Follow
comment: The concert is a sellout. After the first encore (A Day Without Me) U2 are called back a second time to play three more songs. The next day the promoter, Chuck Morris, drives the band to the Red Rocks Amphitheater and suggests they play there one day.
03/30/1981 The Rox - Lubbock, Texas, USA
setlist not available
comment: About 50 people are in attendance. The club owner reportedly pulls a gun on Paul McGuinness and insists on a cheque after being asked for a cash payment.
03/31/1981 The Club Foot - Austin, Texas, USA
I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Incomplete setlist. In the lead-up to the show there are rumours it may be cancelled as the band members are not of legal drinking age in Texas.
04/01/1981 Cardi's - Houston, Texas, USA
setlist not available
04/02/1981 Bijou - Dallas, Texas, USA
The Ocean, Twilight, I Will Follow, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
comment: About 30 people are in the audience. This concert was followed by a wet T-shirt contest.
04/03/1981 Quicksilver's - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
I Will Follow
comment: The venue did not have a stage so the band performed on the dance floor. There was no opening act.
04/04/1981 Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, I Will Follow
04/06/1981 Uptown Theater - Kansas City, Missouri, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet) / Can't Find My Way Home (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, I Will Follow
04/07/1981 Graham Chapel - Washington University - St. Louis, Missouri, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, I Will Follow
comment: U2 are billed as U-2 in promotions before and a newspaper review after the show. The concert is a sellout, and some people reportedly enter the Chapel through the backdoor to see the show.
04/09/1981 Uncle Sam's - Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, I Will Follow
comment: There are claims that early versions of October songs were rehearsed and developed, including I Threw a Brick Through a Window and Stranger in a Strange Land. In a 1982 concert at the same venue Bono mentions developing the song on this day. It is possible that I Fall Down was worked on as well, and the song would debut a short time later.
04/10/1981 Filmore - Ames, Iowa, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, Twilight, I Will Follow
comment: U2 are advertised as U-2. The main set is known from the printed setlist the band used for the show. The encore may be inaccurate. U2 didn't include encores on the printed set during the Boy Tour and it is taken from an attendee's memory.
04/11/1981 International House - U. of Chicago - Chicago, Illinois, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control, Twilight
encores: I Will Follow, A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean
comment: Tickets are only US$1 and include free beer; this results in a sizeable crowd of students, with the booker reporting that some students were trying to climb in through the windows.
04/12/1981 Park West - Chicago, Illinois, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl / I'm A Believer (snippet), Out of Control, Twilight
encores: I Will Follow, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, A Day Without Me
04/14/1981 Merlyn's - Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Out of Control
comment: Setlist is incomplete. It is known that several songs in the encore were repeated from the main set, a common occurrence at this time in U2's career. Future musician and producer Butch Vig was in attendance and we know Out of Control was played thanks to his recollection. At least one advertisement promoting the concert named the band as V-Z. People who attended an Iggy Pop concert a few days earlier were given a $2-off coupon for this concert.
04/15/1981 The Palms - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
I Will Follow
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Setlist is incomplete. We only know of I Will Follow being performed twice thanks to the recollections of Bobby Steele of support act Tense Experts. We believe the second I Will Follow was played in the encore as that was common for the band at the time, but it is possible it was done twice in the main set.
04/17/1981 Bogart's Club - Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
I Will Follow, I Fall Down
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Debut of I Fall Down. I Will Follow is known to have been played in the main set and closed the concert, but any other songs are not known. U2 are billed as U-2 in ads. The venue is just five people short of capacity. Ali, Aislinn, and Anne all join their boyfriends in the US and are known to have been in attendance at this concert.
04/18/1981 Harpo's - Detroit, Michigan, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), I Fall Down, Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control, Twilight
encores: I Will Follow, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean, A Day Without Me
comment: Bono announces I Fall Down as a new song that had only been played once before, at the Cincinnati show the previous night. The legendary sound engineer Joe O'Herlihy, who had occasionally worked with the band in Ireland, becomes a permanent member of U2's crew as of this concert.
04/19/1981 The Agora - Columbus, Ohio, USA
I Will Follow
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Setlist is incomplete.
04/20/1981 The Agora - Cleveland, Ohio, USA
setlist not available
04/21/1981 The Decade - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, It’s a Long Way to Tipperary (snippet) / Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet) / Yankee Doodle (snippet), Stories for Boys, Things To Make And Do, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, I Will Follow
comment: This was the originally planned end for the 4th leg of the Boy Tour, with the band intending to record some material with Steve Lillywhite in Nassau. However the reception to U2 had been so impressive that an additional 21 concerts are scheduled for May in the US and Canada. Bono is squirted with a water pistol in the early part of the set. He later gets the toy and promptly squirts Steve Lillywhite with it.
05/02/1981 Rathskeller University of Florida - Gainesville, Florida, USA
I Will Follow
encores: I Will Follow
comment: First concert in the extension to the Boy Tour's 4th leg. U2 are advertised as U-2. The setlist is incomplete but I Will Follow is known to have been played twice. Bono takes the stage in bare feet, telling the crowd his luggage was lost on U2's return from the Bahamas.
05/03/1981 End Zone - Tampa, Florida, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Setlist is taken from the printed copy on stage. On the Boy Tour these never included the encore and U2 have been known to deviate from the printed set so what we have listed and what was played may differ somewhat. A review of the concert mentions I Will Follow being played in the encore; the remainder of the encore is unknown.
05/04/1981 The Agora - Hallendale, Florida, USA
I Will Follow
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Setlist is incomplete.
05/06/1981 The Agora - Atlanta, Georgia, USA
setlist not available
comment: U2 had opened for Secret Affair on their U2-3 Tour in London in December 1979. One listing for the concert incorrectly advertises Freewheel as the support act. On some documentation U2 are listed as "You Too".
05/07/1981 Ram's Head - Birmingham, Alabama, USA
setlist not available
comment: This concert was cancelled for unknown reasons. U2 do not perform in Alabama until 7 October 1992 at Legion Field, Birmingham, which to this date remains their only concert in the state.
05/08/1981 Ol' Man River's - New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control, A Day Without Me
encores: 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow
comment: At one point Bono stops the concert to address a person in the front row who is spitting.
05/09/1981 Poets - Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Happy Birthday
comment: The set from this night is almost entirely unknown. A recording attributed to this concert is actually mislabelled and comes from their concert in Minneapolis a month earlier. It is known that Happy Birthday was sung to Bono for his 21st birthday the next day, and he sprayed some champagne to celebrate it. This is the first known time (of many to come) that Happy Birthday is sung at a U2 concert.
05/11/1981 Rainbow Music Hall - Denver, Colorado, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Touch, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Yankee Doodle (snippet), Things To Make And Do, It’s a Long Way to Tipperary (snippet) / Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl / Let's Twist Again (snippet), Out of Control
encores: A Day Without Me, Twilight / I’m Twenty One Today (snippet), I Will Follow
comment: The concert is broadcast by Denver radio station KAZY-FM. The band stay on stage before the encore and celebrate Bono's 21st birthday the day before by opening a bottle of champagne.
05/13/1981 Santa Monica Civic Center - Santa Monica, California, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Touch, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: Twilight, I Will Follow, A Day Without Me
comment: Romeo Void were scheduled to open the show, but they were replaced by Suburban Lawns for unknown reasons.
05/15/1981 California Hall - San Francisco, California, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, It’s a Long Way to Tipperary (snippet) / Touch, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl / Let's Twist Again (snippet), Out of Control
encores: Twilight, I Will Follow, A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean
comment: This show is filmed professionally, one of the first times this has happened for U2. Footage has been released through the Bill Graham archives. Edge has some guitar problems before Stories For Boys. Bono dances with a young girl during Boy-Girl and finishes the song carrying her on his shoulders. Champagne is opened before A Day Without Me. Debora Iyall from support act Romeo Void joins the band onstage during the second 11 O'Clock Tick Tock
05/19/1981 Ryerson Theater - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I Will Follow
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Setlist is incomplete.
05/20/1981 Red Creek - Rochester, New York, USA
setlist not available
comment: This show was cancelled for unknown reasons. Allegedly U2 were asked to stop during the soundcheck at the request of the venue's regular patrons, and when they refused they were asked to leave and the show was cancelled (see the reviews below). Another anecdote states the band had trouble crossing the border after playing in Toronto the night before and decided not to play after seeing the venue was not suitable for a concert.
05/21/1981 Uncle Sam's - Buffalo, New York, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Touch, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: Twilight, I Will Follow, A Day Without Me, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, The Ocean
comment: U2 are listed as U-2. The show is restricted to people 18+. The setlist we have is taken from the band's written set, and as U2 are known for deviating from the planned set it may not be exactly what was performed.
05/22/1981 City Limits - Syracuse, New York, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: Twilight, I Will Follow, A Day Without Me
comment: This concert reportedly took place early in the day and the crowd was as little as 20 people.
05/23/1981 J.B. Scott's - Albany, New York, USA
setlist not available
05/24/1981 Club Casino - Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, USA
I Will Follow, The Electric Co.
encores: I Will Follow
comment: Setlist is incomplete. To date this remains U2's only show anywhere in New Hampshire. Bono loses his jacket during the show and asks the audience to return the money in the pockets if they find it. Aislinn is in the audience for this concert.
05/25/1981 Center Stage - Providence, Rhode Island, USA
setlist not available
05/27/1981 Toad's Place - New Haven, Connecticut, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Send in the Clowns (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl / I'm A Believer (snippet), Out of Control
encores: Twilight, I Will Follow, A Day Without Me, Fire
comment: U2 play to an enthusiastic crowd and decide to premiere Fire live. It had been recorded late the previous month at Compass Rose Studios in Nassau, Bahamas following the originally planned end of the tour. This is the first concert to feature two songs from October. Bono tells the crowd they plan to work on the album in June, record it in July, and release it in October.
05/28/1981 The Metro - Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Touch, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Fire, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / Boston Tea Party (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl / I'm A Believer (snippet), Out of Control
encores: Twilight, I Will Follow, A Day Without Me
05/29/1981 Palladium - New York, New York, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Touch, I Will Follow, I Fall Down, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Fire, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co. / New York, New York (snippet), Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl / I'm A Believer (snippet), Out of Control
encores: Twilight, I Will Follow, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock (with Busta Jones)
comment: Attendance is reportedly a sellout at 3400 attendees. This is an eventful show. During the first I Will Follow a crowd member throws a box of mice on stage, to Bono's displeasure. Some of the mice die of heart attacks from shock. Later on, before the second 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Busta Jones (a bassist who has worked with Talking Heads) is brought on stage for a guest appearance and he plays a long solo during the song.
05/31/1981 Fast Lane - Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA
The Ocean, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart, Another Time, Another Place, The Cry / The Electric Co., Things To Make And Do, Stories for Boys, Boy-Girl, Out of Control
encores: 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, I Will Follow, The Ocean
comment: U2's last North American performance of the Boy Tour. This setlist was forgotten until 20 July 2011 when a fan gave Bono a copy of this set before that day's concert and he read it out on stage that night. It is possible I Fall Down and Fire were also played as they were at this point well established in the set, even if they were not included on this particular copy of the setlist.
More detailed listings from this tour can be found here.
