U2 in NZ - a short history

U2, with BB King (centre) at their Auckland Airport press conference in 1989. Photo / Yanse Martin

1984:

U2 perform to a total of about 10,000 people across four nights at the Christchurch Town Hall, the Wellington Show Buildings and a two-night stand at Auckland's Logan Campbell Centre.

Auckland soundman Greg Carroll is recruited into the band's crew and he becomes stage manager and Bono's right-hand-man. Carroll is killed in a motorcycle accident in Dublin in 1986. Bono, wife Ali and drummer Larry Mullen attend the tangi at Kai-Iwi marae near Wanganui.

1989:

Supported by B.B. King on their Lovetown Tour, U2 play four shows - at Christchurch's Lancaster Park, Wellington's Athletic Park, and two nights at Western Springs.

Although the final Auckland show on November 11 is the only one to sell out, the band play to a total of 155,000 people in the wake of the Joshua Tree era - the album's One Tree Hill (a NZ-only single) is performed within sight of its namesake for the first time.

1993:

After an earnest 1980s, the band bring their playful post-Achtung Baby/Zoo TV multimedia extravaganza to "New Zooland" with Bono in his many ironic guises (The Fly, MacPhisto) fronting shows at Christchurch's Lancaster Park on December 1 and Western Springs on December 4 before heading to Tokyo for the final two shows of the 157 dates.

When local support act the 3Ds pilfered a bottle of wine from U2's dressing room, they were threatened with not getting paid. Bono insisted they be paid double and sent them another bottle.

2006:

After giving New Zealand a swerve for 13 years, U2 make a triumphant return with two nights at Mt Smart Stadium on the Vertigo tour, supported by Kanye West.

"A performance that managed to do the impossible for a stadium show - marry real emotional punch to extravagant gesture" said the Herald's review of of the first night.

-TimeOut