Track Listing

1. Gloria
2. 11 O'Clock Tick Tock
3. I Will Follow
4. Party Girl
5. Sunday Bloody Sunday
6. The Electric Co.
7. New Year's Day
8. "40"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16140 in Music
• Released on: 2008-09-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Live, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .23 pounds
• Running time: 70 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
There seem to be two major camps of U2 fans now: Those who dig the early albums (good and sensible people), and those who only like the ones from the 1990s, putting everything previous down as "classic rock." But U2 only became a classic rock sort of band in 1984, with The Unforgettable Fire. The real early stuff, from '80 to '83, still comes off as edgy--and it's comparatively ignored. Here's a sampler: Under a Blood Red Sky is from a U.S. tour (1983's) in which U2 still thought of itself as a hungry little band from Ireland--and draws (fairly wisely) from the band's first three albums. There's nary a misstep on the entire disc, although it could stand a few more tracks. --Gavin McNett

CD Description
Re-released to coincide with the re-release of re-mastered versions of their first three studio albums, 'Under A Blood Red Sky' is the most successful live album in UK chart history. This glimpse into the early stages of U2's career reveals a band on the brink of international superstardom, with tracks taken from several shows throughout their 1983 'War' tour. The highlight of the album is a powerful performance of 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', the live video of which was effectively responsible for breaking the band in the US.

Customer Reviews

Changed My Life
The title of my review of this album is not an overstatement. This is it right here - the album that changed my life. I first borrowed it from a mate at school on vinyl (remember vinyl!?) and what I heard coming out of the stereo electrified me like nothing else since. It started me out on a musical journey that continues to this day. There was this young, brash, confident bunch of kids from Ireland making this incredible sound. It was one of the first times I had something my mum and dad couldn't understand. My mates all took the mickey out of me when I kept going on about this band from Ireland called U2. It was all Duran Duran and Culture Club and whatever was in the charts was the hippest thing around. I knew different! The Edge's guitar and especially Bono's voice on this album transcend description. I couldn't believe a band could sound this electrifying live - I still can't. Everything else that came after this was as a result of this album. Paul McGuinness took a chance at Red Rocks and put his band out there in the rain to see what they could do against the big boys of 80's rock. They delivered - big time - and after this they never looked back. The Red Rocks shows made U2 in America - and that was 3 or 4 years BEFORE The Joshua Tree. A classic in every sense. No U2 fan should ever be without this. The video's a classic too!

This is not a rebel song!
Essentially, 'Under a blood red sky' comprimises of the best of the Dublin quartets first three albums, Boy, October and War, captured live from various shows in Europe and the U.S.
The only real shame about this CD is that their are only 8 tracks on it, and many highlights from the first three albums, e.g.'Out of Control' from Boy and 'Drowning man' from War are left out. Added bonuses however are '11 o'clock tick-tock' and 'party girl' which do not appear on any of their studio albums.
U2's initial success and survival as a band is often attributed to the quality of their live performances, and this CD only reinforces that conception. Throughout the album the Edge's effects laden guitar play is faultless and is supported throughout by Adam Clayton's throbbing bass lines and Larry Mullen Jnr's drum beats. However the highlight must be Bono's vocals, particularly on 'Gloria', 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and the fantastic 'New Years Day' where his passion and effect can be felt much more clearly than on studio efforts. Ultimately this album represents the first phase of U2's career and highlights the potential which was to make them the biggest rock band on the planet with the 1987 realease of the Joshua Tree. A fine effort and certainly worth investing in.

Early days
I can remember seeing U2 live 23 years ago before they were famous This CD captures the sheer energy of their performances at that time and it is easy to see why they went on to become one of the biggest bands in the world .
It has an elegant simplicity about it and still makes the hairs stand up on the back of my head!!
For a new generation of U2 fans reared on Bono et al as they are today THIS is where it all started! Listen ! Enjoy!!