10/05/1980 Town Hall, Ballina, Ireland. 11 O’clock Tick Tock, Leg 1 Ireland May 1980
U2’s opening act for this leg of the tour was The Myster Men, another Dublin band. This period was a significant moment in U2’s early career as they were still relatively unknown outside of Dublin. They played small venues, and the tour helped solidify their presence in the Irish music scene.
Frank Kearns the guitarist with the Myster Men, also attended Mountemple School, and was a close friend of Larry Mullen. Frank was “Frankie Corspe” of the Undertakers, who supported U2 in their days as “The Hype” at Mountemple School. He would later be in Cactus World News. Frank remembers U2 playing the following songs on this tour, 11 O’clock Tick Tock, Out Of Control, Another Day, A Day Without Me, Stories For Boys.
Attendance; approx 60
Support; Myster Men
Admission, £1.50p, £2.00
Set; includes 11 O’clock Tick Tock, Out Of Control, Another Day, A Day Without Me, Stories For Boys, Boy – Girl.
U2 Review by Eilsh Ward from Tuam Herald
It was U2’s first visit to Ballina, a town were pop, disco, country music & alcohol still reign supreme. And it was probably their last time here – in fact it could be the last time a decent rock band will ever play in this town.
The night started badly with 60 or so young people scattered in pockets around the huge empty hall. There was a significant paucity of over 18’s.
But Bono didn’t let this defeat him & he took to the stage with almost savage frenzy. Without even an introduction he sped into the first song, enticing the crowd to dance, to become part of the music, to lose themselves.
And he kept on trying, “Out of control”, “Boy Girl” – all their brilliant numbers. He rolled on the stage, joined the boppers on the floor, whipping them along & giving it all he had. U2’s performance was top class & it was heartening to see such music going down in a town which has seen only the Cheeters & Berlin in the last year. But the night ended in disaster which overoad the pleasure of the gig.
When it was all over, encores done with & the crowd dribbling out, a row started.
Roadie, Pat O’Driscoll defending the band’s gear got caught up in it. His head was smashed against the wall, he was kicked in the back & stomach as he lay there. News of the fight reached Bono & the band backstage & they lost no time in getting out to intervene.
Within seconds, the back of the hall was a mess of rolling bodies. Bono got a chair cracked on his back. Adam’s glasses were smashed on the floor. The bouncers tried to mediate but it was useless as the rual bootboys turned their aggression onto the innocent U2. The rock n roll dream had turned sour for them.
The cops were called & tails between their legs, Pat was taken by ambulance to the local hospital, thankfully there was no major damage.
In the dressing room afterwards, the band tried to figured out what had happened & why. Bono was annoyed, not because the gig was ruined or that he had been bashed about, but because such things still go on. He lay on the ground repeating “I can’t believe it”. Before the fight he had talked about trying to break the tradition of the show bands, trying to show young people they don’t have to follow the standards set by brothers & sisters. He thought their appearance in Ballina might help. Ten people, he thought, is enough to constitute an audience. And then some of that audience had turned vicious on them.
Has anyone an explanation?
The West had never been the home of anything other than the Nashville & Castleblaney beat. But the worrying question is will this ever change? U2 made a start & they were literally & metaphorically, kicked in the face.
After Saturday night’s spectacle, it would be easy to say that towns like this don’t deserve ever to be visited by rock bands. Because you can’t weed out the Getin Boys & you can’t go on running gigs at huge losses with the latent threat of mindless upsurges of violence.
Bono was doubtful that he would ever come back to Ballina. And he doubted that other bands would, on hearing the news. The promoter was doubtful that he could afford the risk of any more gigs. Many of the supporters doubted they would waste £2 for a re-hash of Saturday night’s scence.
It seems that Ballina, & May can be scratched off the circuit. Big Tom is still king.
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