The names of the 51 people killed in the Christchurch mosque shootings were reflected on the screen while the Irish band played One. Photo / Supplied
The Irish rockers were also joined by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and while last night's show sold out there is still a small number of tickets available for tonight's concert.
While gates open at 5pm with U2 taking to the stage at roughly 8.30pm, diehard fans began queuing earlier this week to ensure a prime position.
U2 perform at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, as part of the Joshua Tree Tour. Photo / Greg Bowker Visuals
Weather forecast
Concert goer last night were told to expect mostly fine conditions with a slight chance of rain but tonight may not be quite so mild.
MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said while winds and potential rain is forecast, "It doesn't look as bad as we were saying [previously].
"The chances of rain are less than previously forecast [for Saturday]. There's still going to be a pretty decent northeasterly wind, and some cloud. There are still chances of a shower for both nights."
How to get there
Public transport services will be busy so expect some delays and try and leave early to beat the crowds.
Train, bus and Northern Express services are included in concert tickets, with special event buses departing from a stop on Mayoral Drive at the rear of Aotea Centre.
Regular train services operate between Downtown Auckland (Britomart) and Papakura. Take the train to Penrose station; from the station Mt Smart Stadium is approximately a 10 to 15 minute walk.
Auckland Transport has also established a drop-off point for taxi and ride share services at Station Road.
Road closures
Station Road, O'Rorke Road, Rockridge Road, Maurice Road, Olive Road and Fairfax Ave will be closed from 4.30pm until 1am.
Beasley Ave will be closed from 5am to 1am, while there will also be some parking restrictions in the areas surrounding the stadium.
What you can't bring
•Commercially prepared foods such as takeaways and soft drinks •Chilly bins •Cans, aluminium or glass containers, bottles or cutlery •Alcohol or illicit drugs •Air horns or loud hailers •Furniture, chairs or stools •Prams or strollers •Rain or shade umbrellas •Animals (except for Guide Dogs) •Dangerous goods •Video cameras and recording devices such as Go Pros (cell phones are ok) •Selfie sticks •Face masks •Cameras with a removable lens, a lens larger than a regular watch face or cameras which may be deemed to be for professional use. •Large items that cannot be placed under the seat. •Skateboards, rollerblades or scooters •Fireworks, flares or laser lights •Items that in the opinion of management/security could cause harm or nuisance to other patrons.
The Joshua Tree Tour
The arrival of the tour Down Under comes after the initial leg in 2017, which marked the 30th anniversary of the classic 1987 album The Joshua Tree, and saw the group fill stadiums across Europe and North and Latin America.
Fans can look forward to hearing the entire album played in chronological order, with songs from their first four albums featuring early on and some of their more recent material also weaved in to the set list.
The Joshua Tree was a hit record around the world and included some of U2's most recognisable tunes including Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and With Or Without You.
Intro - The Whole of the Moon Sunday Bloody Sunday New Year's Day Bad Pride Where the Streets Have No Name I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For With or Without You Bullet the Blue Sky Running to Stand Still Red Hill Mining Town In God's Country Trip Through Your Wires One Tree Hill Exit Mothers of the Disappeared Angel of Harlem Elevation Vertigo Even Better Than the Real Thing Every Breaking Wave Beautiful Day Ultra Violet (Light My Way) Love is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way One
