Earliest Known U2 Concert Bootleg From 1979 Discovered By Fan Site [Listen]

One of the earliest known bootleg recordings of a U2 performance has been unearthed and shared to a fan site of the popular Irish rock band.

According to reports shared on Wednesday, a U2 fan site known as ATU2 Tours has exclusively acquired a previously unshared recording of the band’s performance at Dandelion Market in Dublin, Ireland back on August 11th, 1979. The afternoon performance took place right around six weeks prior to the band’s September 1979 release of U2 Three. Until U2 unlocks their official archive of live recordings, this show on cassette stands as the earliest known live recording.

According to the post on the ATU2 Tours website, the band’s August 1979 performance took place where Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre now stands. The show was one of 10 total concerts performed by the rock quartet that year, and featured support by The Strougers. The entire concert was recorded by Strougers member Pete McCluskey. Prior to the full-show audio’s arrival on July 1st, the only part of the show that had been shared with the public was the recording of “Out Of Control”, which was uploaded to YouTube by Mr. McCluskey back in 2011. The blog post states that the recording of the song is considered “the Holy Grail” of U2 live recordings.

The performance that afternoon heard the band playing several unreleased tunes, in addition to Bono doing his best Robert Plant impression during a snippet cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog”.

Listen to portions of “In Your Hand” and “Concentration Cramp” audio below.

U2 – “In Your Hand” – 8/11/1979

[Video: @U2]

U2 – “Concentration Cramp” – 8/11/1979

[Video: @U2]

The earliest circulated U2 recording until now had been that of their Cork Opera House performance back on October 22nd, 1979, which was broadcasted by Irish radio company RTE. The earliest private audience recording currently in circulation is that of U2’s performance in Tullamore, Ireland on March 2nd, 1980.

While U2 likely won’t be releasing their live vault anytime soon, the famous rock band did recently announce their plans to take their The Joshua Tree World Tour to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea this fall and winter.

Setlist: U2 | Dandelion Market | Dublin, Ireland | 8/11/1979

Set: Out Of Control, Speed Of Light, In Your Hand, The Fool, Concentration Cramp, Another Time Another Place, Stories For Boys, Shadows And Tall Trees, Cartoon World, Alone In The Light, Street Mission, Black Dog (Led Zeppelin cover), Life On A Distant Planet, Twilight, Boy-Girl, Out Of Control, Glad To See You Go

H/T Billboard]