'If you don't know.
Electric Co.
If you don't know
Electric Co...'

From 'The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)' to the miracle of 'Electric Co.', has there been a more powerful U2 tour opening than these two songs? 

Powerful as ever at the first show in Köln tonight, maybe it was something to do with that walk Bono took earlier in the day, out in the wild on the edge of the city, watching the leaves changing colour.
'Wildness in our heart this evening, that is what we want here tonight.'

'Edge bringing an electric storm into my living room...' tweeted @madfl3a. 'This guitar riff never gets old.’

This was the band’s first visit to Köln since July 2001 and it brought back good memories. ‘We’re back here in a city with so many strong memories for our band… and we’re here to begin some more memories… thank you for coming out to see us.’

One of those memories was of I Will Follow, the first U2 single released in Germany… and the only song to be performed by the band on every tour since.

Before you knew it we were headed down to Cedarwood Road - ‘The journey begins’ as @U2Tour put it.

Anna was up on stage to dance Mysterious Ways and shoot the meerkat moment. Anna was wearing her customised shirt, something that Bono noticed.
'I found my name on your t-shirt...'
Turns out he wrote it at a show in Germany last year and that Edge and Adam had also signed it… but not Larry. To date.
'We’ll have to fix that.'
 A sharpie was handed to Larry and the autograph set was completed.

'Better sing one about the Missus… what have you got Edge...?'
Edge had The Sweetest Thing and everyone in the house joined in the vocals.

Special mention for 'Pride' tonight, singing for the peacemakers - in Syria, in Israel and Palestine - and namechecking Henriette Reker, local Mayoral candidate, seriously injured with four others in a stabbing in the city earlier today

'Sing for the peacemakers, sing for Henriette Reker and all the others that were injured not far from here...
'Sing for the peacemakers...'

More news on the show coming up but if you were there tonight, add your photos and post your comments here.