U2 at the Silverdome: Even Better Than the Real Thing [Video]

The Popmart tour took U2 around the world, but those who were in Detroit on Halloween of 1997 will always remember the show on Larry Mullen Jr.'s birthday.

Many of rock's legendary acts played the Pontiac Silverdome over its lifetime. The Who opened the venue on December 6, 1975. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band would play for the first of many times in '76. Led Zeppelin and Peter Frampton played in 1977 at the height of their careers, with the Rolling Stones, KISS, Pink Floyd, and Bruce Springsteen all playing at least one night at the 'Dome. Monsters of Rock was huge in 1988 with Van Halen, Metallica, Scorpions, Dokken and Kingdom Come and when it was time to ring in the new year, it was time for Whiplash Bash and the Motor City Madman Ted Nugent at the Silverdome.

Superstars U2 were there on the Joshua Tree tour in 1987 and returned to the Pontiac Silverdome ten years later for the Popmart trek. It was Halloween, and bassist Larry Mullen Jr.'s 36th birthday. In fact, during  "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," Bono led a chorus of "Happy Birthday." The setlist encompassed 16 songs, plus 2 encores, comprising 23 songs in all, making it a night to remember.

U2 at the Pontiac Silverdome | 10/31/1997 | setlist.fm

1. Mofo
2. I Will Follow
3. Gone
4. Even Better Than the Real Thing
5. Last Night on Earth
6. Until the End of the World
7. New Year's Day
8. Pride (In the Name of Love)
9. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
10. All I Want Is You
11. Desire
12. Staring at the Sun
13. Sunday Bloody Sunday
14. Bullet the Blue Sky
15. Please
16. Where the Streets Have No Name
    

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17. Discotheque
18. If You Wear That Velvet Dress
19. With or Without You
    

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20. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
21. Mysterious Ways
22. One
23. Wake Up Dead Man

Like the Zoo TV tour, Popmart was a huge stage production with a 100' high golden arch, 165' wide LED screen and the gigantic mirror-ball lemon. Watch video of the entire show from the Pontiac Silverdome on 10/31/1997 below.

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