To be fair, albums were still released on vinyl and cassette back in 1991, so The Fly is really the beginning of side 2. If looked at that way, it's a perfect opener.
Let's look at the way U2 opened the indoor leg of ZooTV with the 8 straight AB songs, and try to rearrange the new stuff in a similar way:
1. Zoo Station -- Vertigo
They have yet to open with anything else so far on this promo tour, and although some people have suggested COBL and LPOE, I think this phase of the band is about immediacy, and the fact that the tour is named after the song (ala Elevation or ZOOtv) is a good indicator.
2. The Fly -- ABOY
They played the first single here in 1992, and I'm guessing they'd play something else familiar to audiences as a one two punch, something upbeat (Beautiful Day fit both of those on Elevation). There's no other option here.
3. EBTTRT -- Miracle Drug
4. Mysterious Ways -- COBL
This is where it gets tough. They played Miracle Drug as the third song on two of the promo shows so far. COBL was the third Bomb song played on two others. So this is a toss up. MD will likely have Bono's spoken intro about the paralyzed guy, so if you think this is too early for that, it might not happen.
Personally, I think the "Oh you look so beautiful tonight" is something that fits better near the beginning of a show. It's inspired partly by playing to a crowd. If the band is planning on doing it without a spoken intro, I could see it in the third slot. It would really get the crowd going. Plus, Bono and Edge were already at the tip of the heart last time with UTEOTW, and can't you totally see Bono in the messianic, arms outstretched pose on this one at the front of the "egg"?
If not, it kind of HAS to go here. There's no fun song on The Bomb a la Mysterious Ways, so it just has to be something energetic that can be drawn out longer. If they extend the outro with a longer solo (as they should anyway), this one works. If we're following the ZOOtv template, it has to be upbeat. Remember also that Elevation didn't slow it down until the 5th slot with Stuck.
5. One -- Sometimes
See above. This is a no-brainer, unless the band pussies out earlier, which, let's face it, is always a possibility.
6. UTEOTW -- LPOE
Until is the one of the denser songs sonically on AB. LPOE is pretty much the ONLY dense song on The Bomb, so I don't see what else can go here. People are open to new material at this point. It's also, coincidentally, in the same spot on the album as UTEOTW, #4.
7. Wild Horses -- Crumbs
Let's remember that Horses was dropped from the ZooTV setlist eventually. Perhaps this is where the band will try something else difficult that may not last. I think OOTS will be a disaster without Edge on guitar, and if he does piano only it probably wouldn't go here anyway. If there was any justice in the world this is where Mercy would be played in all its majestic glory. Fast Cars is an option too. I'm settling on Crumbs because it just isn't big enough to be later in the show. But it's a great song and catchy enough to keep people involved this far into the new material.
8. Tryin' to Throw -- AMAAW???
This is where I'm stopping. Because The Bomb has one less song than AB, I don't think they'll play 8 straight, as I don't see One Step Close being played at ALL, except as a brief intro to something else. I'm also not convinced they will play Man & a Woman, but if they DO, and if they also do an acoustic set, this song would be a perfect transition.
OOTS, if done right, should be a late-set show stopper, and Yahweh is a possible show closer. I don't see it anywhere else.
laz