U2 mark 50th anniversary with concert at Dublin school where band formed
U2 marked their 50th anniversary with a concert at [Dublin’s](en.wikipedia.org) Mount Temple Comprehensive School, the Northside institution where the band formed in September 1976. On Sept. 25, the group performed in the school’s courtyard for about 1,000 students and staff, revisiting the spot of their first performance after Larry Mullen Jr. posted a handwritten note on the school bulletin board: “Drummer seeks musicians to form a band.”
The setlist traced the band’s history, opening with “I Will Follow,” “Vertigo,” and “Beautiful Day,” and included their debut single, “Out of Control,” as well as tracks from their newly announced album, such as “Silencio.” For “One,” U2 was joined onstage by 32 string musicians—one representing each county of Ireland—from the Music Generation program. The concert concluded with “With or Without You” as an encore .
Bono addressed the crowd, reflecting on the band’s early days at the school and calling it the start of their “most humble and hardest lesson”: realizing how much they still had to learn. He thanked teachers, friends, and the broader community, adding, “This island is full of songs, music, and mischief. We are very proud to be Irish” .
Later that day, U2 performed a second free concert from the balcony of Bewley’s Café on Dublin’s Grafton Street, drawing a large crowd. The band also announced their 16th studio album, *Carnaval de Luz*, set for release on Nov. 13, featuring collaborations with the late Dolly Parton, Brian Eno, and Martin Garrix .
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