U2 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour 2018

'From the north side of Dublin…'

'We're a band from the north side of Dublin called the U2 formerly the hype this is our new tune I Will Follow…'

When & Where
Second night in Mediolanum Forum, Milan, Friday 12th October 2018.

Set List
'We're a band from the north side of Dublin called the U2 formerly the hype this is our new tune I Will Follow…' 
And there was another 'new tune' in the show tonight.

'The landlady takes me up in the air
I go, I go where I would not dare
The landlady shows me the stars up there
I'm weightless
Weightless when she is there
And I'll never know
Never know what starving poets meant
Cause when I was broke
It was you that always paid the rent…'

Tour debut for the beautiful Landlady tonight, which leaves just the one song from Songs of Experience yet to be played live. And on another loud night with the passionate fans of Milan, Bono recalled that on the band's first tour to Italy, 'these four boys discovered that we were Latin… other bands could play being cool but the U2 boys, we wanted to be hot... like the opera.' That went down well... 

Here is the full setlist from Milan 2.

On The Fansites
Joni (@jzcanuck on Twitter) was there for both opening shows in Milan, covering the show for fansite @U2gigs. She sent us these words in reflection, on her train ride home to Switzerland :
' “I go, I go where I would not dare.” It was a personal journey of different vantage points and new perspectives that I could not have imagined. It was the experience of this massive show from the seats, the adrenaline rush from the premiere of “Landlady” and an unforgettable encounter with the Showman. From the seats, the technological wonder that is the barricage was an assault on the senses with messages that seemed stronger and more poignant to match the passion of the Italian crowd. Tonight I heard the new setlist changes for the first time and it provided a new appreciation of the show's cleverly woven thread of experience. Many times I have heard fans say how U2 music links so closely with their own life journey. “Zoo Station”, “Stay”, “Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” all bring a rush of memories from the past. And later it was Landlady. Joy. Gratitude. Love. So many emotions we shared together that will now be integrated into our experience of new U2 songs touching our lives in the present. My journey came full circle in Milan. U2 came here to find themselves in the '80s and now I found myself in a moment that was years in the making. My friend and colleague Shabnam, who came from South Africa for the shows, has worked on the frontlines in the fight against HIV for over 12 years across Africa. During the fan greeting before the show we had a chance encounter with Bono and shared our passion for the fight against HIV and for (RED). This gracious man called my friend “a proper hero” just like he does every night before “Even Better Than the Real Thing” to acknowledge “fireman, or teachers, or doctors or journalists”…. We know he means it.
Sometimes experiences from new perspectives change how we see the world. Milan was the place for big emotions, big sound and big experiences that won't be forgotten.'

Experience Of The Day
For everyone in the house… and following along online… live debut of Landlady was the clear winner :
@whitedwarf1979. 'thanks for a wonderful night, I couldn't believe my ears.. you always make me so happy, I can't stop smiling and shouting and dancing  #Landlady'

@Nanners222. 'weekend made U2played Landlady live.. guess what I will be listening to on repeat? lol  my heart.. love this band!!!'

@U2adorableness. 'LANDLADY got me cryin'

@yapeze. '46 conciertos tardaron para largarla en vivo a Landlady, y suena hermosa, putooooooossssssssss'
(translated) '46 concerts took a long time to go live to Landlady, and it sounds beautiful, putooooooossssssssss'

@jzcanuck. 'The moment when you hear Bono utter the words.. “This is the first time we have played this song live..” its a blast of adrenaline. #Landlady'

And @comfortme_u2 got his hand-painted sign request fulfilled 

What Did Bono / Macphisto Say?
'It was Berlin… 1990… we're recording Achtung Baby… Hansa Studios. The wall is coming down… Germany is united… but in the band, the walls are going up. The end of the cold war… but not in the U2 group. We couldn't agree on anything, fighting about this and that. Our band is coming apart… a cold Winter in Berlin…' (intro to 'Stay).

'Milano! Great city of Europe! You can ask more of your politicians! You can ask more from the people who serve you! We sing…. Get Out Of Your Own Way'

(As Mr. MacPhisto)'Buonasera Milano. Macphisto al vostro servicio. Oh, I'm so sad tonight. I do miss my old pal Benito Mussolini. Oh Benny… Benny & The Jets. I used to say… Il Duce, what's the use of the trains running on time if you're not deporting people? He did have some excellent ideas. The Manifesto Of Race… Manifesto Della Razza… so practical. No ethnic shocks after 9 O'Clock. I think that's when we got it all started... no people with very dark tans… unless they're orange! If you know what I mean?'

Were you in the house tonight ? Post your reviews and add your photos below.