Not counting their brief, stripped down, Good Friday agreement-endorsing performance at the Waterfront Hall in 1998, it's been all of 18 years since U2 last stepped onto a Belfast stage. Over the intervening decades, the city and the surrounding country, have changed immeasurably – as indeed have music tastes, technology and culture. However, one song remains the same after all this evolution and upheaval, and that's the demonstrable affection in which Northern Ireland holds Bono, the Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton.

Tonight, in front of a sold-out mixture of locals, globe-trotting U2 acolytes, Game Of Thrones cast members, celebrities and the curious – including this reviewer – the biggest rock band on Earth make their much anticipated return. The arena is in a celebratory mood, even before they have played a single note. And who can blame the band’s Northern fans? It's been a difficult few days for the world, particularly music lovers, as we all try to comprehend the atrocities in Paris: coming together for something positive should be celebrated – and, of course, U2 are more than up to the task of starting the party in style than the vast majority of rock ‘n’ roll pretenders.

Opening the set with a bang, in the form of a clutch of stomping, post punk inflected numbers beginning with 'The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)' and 'I Will Follow,' the band stride along the catwalk like conquering heroes, clearly relishing being up close and personal with the audience. Now seven months into the iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE tour, the production is a well oiled machine and the four-piece effortlessly deliver a master-class in arena rock.

“Coming from the chaos of Paris to the peace of Belfast....look at what you've done. It's incredible,” offers Bono while surveying his flock.
Featuring a career-spanning setlist which includes enough hits and favourites ('Vertigo,' 'Desire,' 'Out Of Control') and future classics ('Iris (Hold Me Close)') to please the faithful and the fairweather alike, this evening is a reminder that for all of the din that has surrounded U2 on occasion, they know how to put on a fantastic show.

On the subject of setlists, 'Raised By Wolves', which deals with the subject of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in May '73, is a huge highlight. The song was the subject of a storm in a teacup-like “controversy”, when a member of the UUP (a second tier Unionist party nowadays, I should add...) farcically declared that it should be dropped from the gig as “there could be a riot.” Well so much for that: the performance is spell-binding. Backed by visuals on the enormous video screen which pay tribute to the victims of violence, as with the sombre re-imagining of 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', it's a genuinely moving moment for this child of the Troubles.

Another highlight arrives when two Mexican fans are invited onstage, handed acoustic guitars and asked to perform a storming version of 'Angel Of Harlem': the band beam from ear to ear and the interlopers are given a rousing “Ole Ole Ole” chant from the crowd in tribute.

Bono, of course, is the consummate rock frontman and he is in brilliant form this evening, offering the likes of 'With Or Without You' and 'Pride' up for the fans to worship instead. The final song '40' brings the show to a suitably euphoric conclusion. Here's hoping we won't have to wait quite as long for the band to return to Belfast.
Edwin McFee