<Li> 19 October: They played the Lyceum Ballroom, opening for Slade with the hardcore punk fame Discharge and Last Words . </Li> <Li> 20 October: The band's debut album, Boy, is released in Ireland and the United Kingdom . It peaks at No. 52 in British charts . </Li> <Li> 6 December: U2 play their first American concert at The Ritz in New York City as part of a 14 - date tour . </Li> <Li> 9 December: U2 perform their debut concert in Canada the day after John Lennon's death . The angry and emotional performance receives glowing reviews in Canadian media . </Li>

Where did u2 first play in the us