RARE AUDIO: U2 live at the Dandelion Market, 1979
Add this to your collection of rare, early U2 audio clips. This is U2 performing “Out Of Control” at the Dandelion Market in August 1979. The sound quality is pretty darn good for a recording that’s just surfaced now, some 32 years later.
The audio comes from Pete McCluskey, who was in the Irish Independent this weekend sharing a photo from backstage at a different gig when his band, The Strougers, opened for U2.
By the way, this Dandelion gig is one of those where the date isn’t certain. On Pete’s video, he lists it as August 11, 1979. But when I interviewed Chas de Whaley a couple years ago for U2-A Diary, de Whalley was certain that the gig happened on August 4th, because he was in town that weekend to record the songs that later showed up on the U2-3 EP.
But nevermind the exact date uncertainty — it’s a really unique piece of audio from way back when.
UPDATE: We now have confirmation that the gig did happen on August 11th, and the Howth performance was on August 10th, instead. We’ll update U2tours.com to reflect that.
Also very interesting: Edge did not play the gig on August 11th because he was sick. The audio you hear above is U2 playing with a guitarist named Joe Savino, who filled in for Edge. Savino was part of a group called The Brown Thomas Band.
UPDATE #2: As Pete clarifies down below in the comments, that is The Edge you hear playing guitar on this song from August 11th. Instead, it was the July 28, 1979 Dandelion Market gig that Edge missed. Thx Pete!
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[...] fecha del concierto todavía es una incognita, como comentan en @u2. En el video de Pete indica el 11 de Agosto de 1979, pero podría haber tenido lugar el concierto [...]
Is that the Joe Savino who acted in various UK TV shows like Ballykissangel, and films like Braveheart and The Crying Game? It’s hardly the most common name, especially for an Irishman!
That´s a fantastic finding Matt, thank you for posting both audio/video and the article from the Irish Independent. I have a special interest for the history of the band, and I know you feel the same. Your book is amazing, btw.
So TECHNICALLY, this is the ‘other‘ U2 gig that a band member (Edge) couldn’t be at?!!
The other one was Adam, in Sydney 1993, during ZOO TV!
THANX! Do you have the rest of the full gig?!!
answer to colin b : yes thta is the actor joe savino. he has been in ballykissangel and lots of well-known movies. he is currently performing in theatre here in ireland. he was a member of the max quad band which had adam clayton as the bass player - until he was replaced, and he also fronted the brown thomas band ( later shortened to the bt’s) - the had a great single called “murder on their minds”. joe currently resides down the south of ireland…..pete
just to rectify something : joe savino didn’t play at thios august 11th gig. but he did play at a u2 gig a couple of weeks earlier on 28th july, 1979 at the same venue - the dandelion market. the edge was taken ill with suspecrwed meningitis and bono played and sang for the first couple of numbers. he soon found the guitar a bit restricting and asked was there anyone in the audience who could play guitar. without hesitation, joe savino put his hand up and called to bono. he made his way to the stage and strapped on the guitar and played a few n umbers with the rest of u2 - i’m nearly sure i remember one song was a rolling stones song…i’ll check this out with joe and report further
Peter - thanks for the replies, I thought it had to be the same guy. You seem to know him so let him know I thought he was great in BallyK alongside the sadly missed Tony Doyle!
Thanks for the info Matt and Pete. Never envisaged that we would actually be talking of a recording concerning U2 from the Dandeloin Market era with someone that was actually there. Seriously exciting time in U2 fandom over this. Thanks Pete for uploading and sharing the audio.
[...] Fuente: @U2 [...]
spoke to joe savino today. he’s currently acting in a play called the seafarer. it is touring around ireland. i asked him about playing guitar with u2 on the day the edge was ill. he remembers playing pretty vacant but he doesn’t remember the other songs he played. i though he also played a rolling stones number but he wasn’t sure.i remember he was wearing a black overcoat at the time and he looked like one of echo and the bunnymen aginst the u2 lads in their t-shirts.
he also says “hik” to all his ballykissangel tv fans!!