U2 Kick Off World Tour in Barcelona With Style

Gabriel J. Hernandez | 07.01.2009

U2 embarked on its first world tour in three years Tuesday night, playing to a rambunctious group of 90,000 faithful followers inside Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona, Spain.

Dubbed the “U2 360° Tour,” the trek features one of the biggest concert stages ever built, including a circular platform that allows the band to be surrounded by its adoring fans and a so-called "Claw," which is a four-legged animal-like creation that hangs high over the band and on which the sound system is mounted.

The tour is currently set to visit 31 cities across Europe and North America, with an estimated three million fans expected to attend. More dates are also expected to be announced in early 2010.

The band began the night with "Breathe" from their acclaimed new album No Line on the Horizon, and then mixed old songs and new, playing classics such as "Beautiful Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" as well as “Angel of Harlem,” which the band dedicated to Michael Jackson, who died suddenly last week aged 50.

“We wrote this one for Billie Holiday but we are going to play it tonight for Michael Jackson,” said Bono.

At the end of the song, Bono also sang bits of Jackson’s hits "Man in the Mirror" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," much to the delight of the crowd.

At the show’s midway point, the band also linked up by video to the International Space Station.

“Very nice to hear you,” said an unidentified astronaut.

A report in Billboard suggests that this U2 tour could become the highest grossing tour ever – an honor the band already owns thanks to its 2005-6 Vertigo tour which earned the band $389 million.

Here’s last night’s set list: “Breathe”, “No Line On The Horizon”, “Get On Your Boots”, “Magnificent”, “Beautiful Day”, “I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For”/“Movin' On Up”, “Angel Of Harlem”/“Man In The Mirror”/“Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough”, “In A Little While”, “Unknown Caller”, “The Unforgettable Fire”, “City Of Blinding Lights”, “Vertigo”, “I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight”, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”, “MLK”, “Walk On”/“You'll Never Walk Alone”, “Where The Streets Have No Name”, “One”, “Ultra Violet (Light My Way)”, “With Or Without You”, and “Moment of Surrender”.

Check out fan footage of the end of “Angel of Harlem” from last night’s show: