Synopsis

U2 perform "Gloria" on a barge in Dublin's Grand Canal Docks, surrounded by the stark industrial landscape associated with the October album. The camera moves between intimate shots of the band and wider views that reveal their unusual setting on the water. As the performance continues, fans gather along the docks, dancing and cheering. Additional images show members moving through the area, while the video builds toward an aerial view of the barge, crowd, and surrounding docklands.

Factoids & Trivia

• Filmed in October 1981 at Dublin's Grand Canal Docks, the clip was shot close to Windmill Lane Studio, where U2 recorded much of their early material.

• The setting was closely connected to the visual identity of the October album. The video effectively expands the atmosphere of the album cover into a moving performance piece.

• "Gloria" was only U2's second music video, following "I Will Follow."

• The clip became the first U2 video to receive substantial airplay on MTV in the United States. Its timing helped: MTV had launched only a few months earlier, when relatively few artists had videos ready for regular broadcast.

• The production grew out of the band's existing relationship with filmmaker Meiert Avis, who had worked around Windmill Lane and was one of the few people in their circle with access to video equipment and editing facilities.

• The audio is the same studio recording heard on October rather than a live performance.

• Despite its importance in U2's early history, "Gloria" was not included on the band's major commercial video compilations.