Watching PopMart Mexico tonight made me recall...

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Hawkfire

The Fly
Joined
Jun 26, 2001
Messages
295
Location
Chicago, IL
...how utterly amazing that show was. It pains me that people slag off PopMart (usually people who didn't even attend, or still wish it was 1983 and Bono was still waiving white flags), because the criticism is generally so uninformed and undeserving. This was an incredible concert, the closest thing to theatre you'll ever see in a football stadium. Last Night on Earth into UTEOTW into NYD?!?! Are you kidding me? The segue between the latter two was something U2 didn't even attempt on Elevation (despite those two remaining back-to-back). And Hold Me Thrill Me is just outrageously good. The whole attitude of PopMart - much like the album that it supported - was just "F*@# It!" and its so refreshing to see U2 challenging themselves as well as their audience. PopMart was a dynamic show that merged art, music, theatre and spectacle in a brilliantly conceived and choreographed show.

Sadly, I'm not holding out much hope for a return of this reckless abandon, "why not?" attitude that characterized U2 in the mid to late 1990's. No, not everything they touched turned to gold (though much of their Zooropa and POP output ranks amongst their best IMHO), but even when the experiments didn't produce satisfactory results, the PROCESS was always riveting, engaging, and interesting.

PopMart might not be in vogue at present, thanks to Elevation, but this show will be REDEEMED, as it was light years ahead of its time. Perhaps redemption and belated respect will come when/if this comes to DVD, as it will MELT the other DVDs in your collection, this show is so hot!!
 
I can watch the Popmart video for hours and never get tired of it. It truly is an amazing show.
 
hmmm, while I was at the show the "Even better..., Last Night on Earth, Untill the End ..."-part was the bit where I was getting a bit restless
I don't know, reminded me too much of ZooTV or something

still turned out to be a fantastic show though
with Please and HMTMKMKM as highlights (with Pride, I still haven't found and Where the Streets of course)
 
Congratulations.

You have now become the 3 dozenth person to start an.....

ohpopwassogreatanditrockedsohardhowcouldpeopedissitoohtheysucktheyjustdontgetitthiswassofuckingawesomeanditrockedandIhateallyouassholeswhohateitcantyouseeitwassogreatandIneedtohear25otherpeopletoagreewithmeheretovalidatemyopiniontellmepopwasgreatandeveryonewhohatesitsuckspleeeeeeeeeeese

thread.

:rolleyes:

:yawn:

:banghead:

:banghead:

Do we really need to go through this AGAIN??!!:scream:
 
Last edited:
Desire, I?m sorry, but that was not necessary IMO. Our fellow Hawkfire did exactly what lots of people do here, when they sort of rediscover some of U2 past work, including myself...whether is a bootleg or a video...whether is from Pop era or UF era...or any other U2 era. I see no problema, definitely.

Hawkfire, surely Popmart from M?xico is really amazing, I love it, the standouts being the opening combo Pop Muzik/Mofo/I Will Follow, plus Please/Streets and also HMTMKMKM. I highly recommend the performance from S?o Paulo as well (for obviously biased reasons ;))

:up:
 
Hawkfire said:
...how utterly amazing that show was. It pains me that people slag off PopMart (usually people who didn't even attend, or still wish it was 1983 and Bono was still waiving white flags), because the criticism is generally so uninformed and undeserving. This was an incredible concert, the closest thing to theatre you'll ever see in a football stadium. Last Night on Earth into UTEOTW into NYD?!?! Are you kidding me? The segue between the latter two was something U2 didn't even attempt on Elevation (despite those two remaining back-to-back). And Hold Me Thrill Me is just outrageously good. The whole attitude of PopMart - much like the album that it supported - was just "F*@# It!" and its so refreshing to see U2 challenging themselves as well as their audience. PopMart was a dynamic show that merged art, music, theatre and spectacle in a brilliantly conceived and choreographed show.

Sadly, I'm not holding out much hope for a return of this reckless abandon, "why not?" attitude that characterized U2 in the mid to late 1990's. No, not everything they touched turned to gold (though much of their Zooropa and POP output ranks amongst their best IMHO), but even when the experiments didn't produce satisfactory results, the PROCESS was always riveting, engaging, and interesting.

PopMart might not be in vogue at present, thanks to Elevation, but this show will be REDEEMED, as it was light years ahead of its time. Perhaps redemption and belated respect will come when/if this comes to DVD, as it will MELT the other DVDs in your collection, this show is so hot!!

I couldn't have said it any better. :up: It was truely a great show. To me, that show included definitive versions of Gone & Last Night On Earth-The way the should have sounded on POP. One of my favorite versions of NYD as well. AIWIY is great too. Hopefully we'll see the DVD one day, but the video sounds great for now.
 
PopMart was great. I was in Vegas for the opening. However, I could not help but feel that the whole concept kind of swallowed the band. U2 was competing against...itself which is a destructive cycle for any artist.

It was a cool event and great entertainment but not really U2's best tour, IMHO. :shrug:
 
That show was a *aussie praise word :censored: * for critics of POPmart. That performance of NYD when Bono asks Willy to switch off the lights is one of the high points of rock n roll. It was an outstanding show and there isnt any rationale to think POPmart was overblwon, even the Lemon. The show was inch perfect like most U2 shows except they dont have 100 feet TV screen in homes.

Unfortunately it makes the few opening nights below average, which is the reality and the reason why POPmart isnt taken so well. I think that half coocked show at Las Vegas did so much damage to U2, it got the whole tide against them.
 
Last edited:
ishkash said:
That performance of NYD when Bono asks Willy to switch off the lights is one of the high points of rock n roll.
didn't they do that every night during POPMart?
I know they did it at the show I went to see
 
Thanks for the correction (of sorts)
Well that just goes to show my U2 live inexperience. But we can have that in the context of "non-fans" who usually see and judge band from commercial releases.Although this point is highly debatable :banghead:
 
Hawkfire said:
...The segue between the latter two was something U2 didn't even attempt on Elevation (despite those two remaining back-to-back)....
Yeah, what the hell was with that?!
 
Hawkfire said:
It pains me that people slag off PopMart (usually people who didn't even attend, or still wish it was 1983 and Bono was still waiving white flags), because the criticism is generally so uninformed and undeserving.


It pains me to see that no one can ever start or keep up a "POP appreciation thread" without bashing and insulting the fans who didn't like it or rejected it. Remember that before you dump on me for saying something negative in a POP glorification thread. :rant:
 
Jesus, are you all really that offended by people with different opinions?
 
you know...i just wanted to voice my opinion about the popmart tour without getting attacked. this is stupid...if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say it. stay out of the thread. its that simple. this was supposed to be a popmart appreciation thread.
 
nellie said:
you know...i just wanted to voice my opinion about the popmart tour without getting attacked. this is stupid...if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say it. stay out of the thread. its that simple. this was supposed to be a popmart appreciation thread.

:rolleyes: Another inevitable fact on this forum. If your thread has "Pop" or "Popmart" in the title, it's bound to attract those who don't like it.
 
Desire4Bono said:
Congratulations.

You have now become the 3 dozenth person to start an.....

ohpopwassogreatanditrockedsohardhowcouldpeopedissitoohtheysucktheyjustdontgetitthiswassofuckingawesomeanditrockedandIhateallyouassholeswhohateitcantyouseeitwassogreatandIneedtohear25otherpeopletoagreewithmeheretovalidatemyopiniontellmepopwasgreatandeveryonewhohatesitsuckspleeeeeeeeeeese

thread.

:rolleyes:

:yawn:

:banghead:

:banghead:

Do we really need to go through this AGAIN??!!:scream:



This was what I was referring to. I mean, I can't even say something without someone getting all bent out of shape about it.
 
nellie said:
you know...i just wanted to voice my opinion about the popmart tour without getting attacked. this is stupid...if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say it. stay out of the thread. its that simple. this was supposed to be a popmart appreciation thread.

AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! :scream:

Surely you are not that dim and said that just to piss me off. After all, what I said was, every "Pop appreciation thread' turns into a 'let's diss the people who hate Pop" thread and his opening line proves that. I feel that the endless need to glorify and praise this fucking album proves the insecurites over its failure in comparison to other U2 albums, and the hatred for those who didn't like it. Just as everyone knows I hate it, I think we know who gushes over it too, so there is really no need to keep saying it again. If he wanted to 'say something nice' was his line really necessary? Of course the crime is always in the eyes of which side you are on.
 
GypsyHeartgirl said:
I feel that the endless need to glorify and praise this fucking album proves the insecurites over its failure in comparison to other U2 albums, and the hatred for those who didn't like it.

I really don't think anyone "hates" someone just because they don't like POP. I don't care if people don't like POP, and I don't think anybody else does either. The person who started this thread only has around 150 posts on this forum, so maybe they weren't aware of the frequency with which the subject is discussed.

But then I asked myself, "Well, why IS POP brought up so much, then?" This is what I've come up with. It seems like there has been a lot of POP nostalgia lately. The Elevation Tour was so different from Popmart. It doesn't mean that Popmart/POP fans didn't love Elevation too. For me, Popmart was my first ever U2 concert experience, so it's something that I'll always remember. I don't know. Maybe it's that way with other people too. My mom's first U2 show was ZooTv, and, for her, nothing will ever really top that.
 
GypsyHeartgirl said:


AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! :scream:

Surely you are not that dim and said that just to piss me off. After all, what I said was, every "Pop appreciation thread' turns into a 'let's diss the people who hate Pop" thread and his opening line proves that. I feel that the endless need to glorify and praise this fucking album proves the insecurites over its failure in comparison to other U2 albums, and the hatred for those who didn't like it. Just as everyone knows I hate it, I think we know who gushes over it too, so there is really no need to keep saying it again. If he wanted to 'say something nice' was his line really necessary? Of course the crime is always in the eyes of which side you are on.

No, I don't mean to intentionally piss you off, thats just not me. I don't know you. However, I did feel I was attacked. No, I didnt know that you hated Pop. I just wanted to voice my opinion. Thats all. I dont care if anyone doesnt like it. Im not forcing it down anyones throat. I think I'll stay out of Pop discussions from now on. It sucks that I can't even say I like the Popmart tour without someone jumping down my throat.
 
nellie said:


No, I don't mean to intentionally piss you off, thats just not me. I don't know you. However, I did feel I was attacked. No, I didnt know that you hated Pop. I just wanted to voice my opinion. Thats all. I dont care if anyone doesnt like it. Im not forcing it down anyones throat. I think I'll stay out of Pop discussions from now on. It sucks that I can't even say I like the Popmart tour without someone jumping down my throat.

If you really weren't just trying to annoy me then you couldn't possibly have read my post and said what you said. I said in my post, don't trash me for saying something negative in a "pop appreciation thread' since they cannot exist without becoming bash the people who don't like it threads, and his opening line proves that. I don't believe you are that stupid. You had to do it to get a reaction out of me, because you turned around and did specifically what my post tried to counteract and make a point of. And Werstie, I have seen Hawkfire in popfights before.
 
poprocks

GypsyHeartgirl said:
I feel that the endless need to glorify and praise this fucking album proves the insecurites over its failure in comparison to other U2 albums, and the hatred for those who didn't like it.

*can't believe getting into this debate after avoiding it for so long*

Okay. There are obviously politics involved in praising or abusing Pop on this forum, because of the amazing vehemence both of those who like it and those who don't like it. Even if they aren't intended, they're there.

However. Since I don't think I've voiced my opinion on the issue (or if I have, it hasn't been for a long time) I think I can say something without being accused of having a vendetta against anybody.

I love Pop. I loved it the day it came out and I bought it. It was actually the first U2 album for which I was a fan of the band when it came out. I hadn't read much press on it ... I just listened and liked what I heard. I went to a Popmart concert in Chicago (my first) and loved that, too.

Sometimes I feel the need to praise Pop. :) I've been known to exclaim to a friend "GOD THIS ALBUM ROCKS" or something similar about, for example, Gone, or Please, or Mofo ... and believe me, when this happens it's not because I've had a sudden bout of insecurity about Pop's success or reception from the media. It's because ... God, that album ROCKS.

That said, I often feel the same need to make similar exclamations about songs from other albums, or other albums as a whole. I love 80s U2 and 90s U2 and 00s U2. Strangely enough, when I yell out "GOD, OUT OF CONTROL KICKS ASS!" I don't hear anybody saying, "Would you stop showing your hatred for people who hate Boy??"

I'm not trying to claim that there aren't a few people who might praise certain ... albums ... to taunt those who hate it. But this is not true of everyone who likes Pop!!! When I introduced this album to my friend who'd never heard of it, nor seen a U2 forum on the internet, she didn't like it as part of an elaborate plot to anger those who don't like it. She just ... liked it. Because she, and I, and many, are part of a group of people who think it is an awesome album. Nothing else to it.

By the way, in elementary school, we always learned that if you ignored people who tried to tease you, or goad you into some sort of response, they'd soon get tired of it. I'd say that probably still holds true...
 
*stands in front of the crowd, right hand raised*

I, wertsie, will no longer participate in Pop fights. Everybody knows I like it. Nothing more needs to be said, and I'm sick of arguing!

Peace, everybody! :hug:
 
Re: poprocks

Mirrorball Girl said:
By the way, in elementary school, we always learned that if you ignored people who tried to tease you, or goad you into some sort of response, they'd soon get tired of it. I'd say that probably still holds true...

:happy: :up: This whole post was brilliant, actually, but I especially like this last line. You are so right. All this bickering back and forth is stupid and childish. It's not getting any of us anywhere. :hug:
 
Desire4Bono said:
Congratulations.

You have now become the 3 dozenth person to start an....

Do we really need to go through this AGAIN??!!:scream:

Gypsy, is this your name on the thread? I dont think so. I dont know who you are. I was not trashing you. I dont even know you. This comment is what i was referring to. And please dont call me stupid. Peace
 
What is it with those Detroit Red Wings fans? Class acts all the way! :D

Hawkfire, I'm right with you. Popmart Mexico rocks my ass every time I watch it. Mofo really starts it off right and the whole show throttles forward with intensity and passion from the first note in.

I have fond memories of watching the Popmart video too. I showed the UTEOTW/NYD section to some of my students and they were blown away when Bono had the technicians turn out the lights. Moving, that's the only word for it. :heart: And these students aren't even giant fans like me. In some cases, they weren't fans at all. I also can say that my sister is not a giant U2 fan, but she loves Popmart. Bono's antics (Thanks for the burritos!) really drew her in and got her to watch and enjoy the show. Sometimes when I mention U2, she starts saying "Mexico Mofo" over and over again because she thinks it's cool.

That was some rambling there. Whoa! Anyway, to sum up, I agree that Popmart is one rocking show, and when the DVD comes out, I'll be the first one in line at the store.

:heart: :love: Popmart :love: :heart:
 
HeartlandGirl said:

I have fond memories of watching the Popmart video too. I showed the UTEOTW/NYD section to some of my students and they were blown away when Bono had the technicians turn out the lights. Moving, that's the only word for it. :heart: And these students aren't even giant fans like me. In some cases, they weren't fans at all. I also can say that my sister is not a giant U2 fan, but she loves Popmart. Bono's antics (Thanks for the burritos!) really drew her in and got her to watch and enjoy the show. Sometimes when I mention U2, she starts saying "Mexico Mofo" over and over again because she thinks it's cool.

My mom and I took two "non-fans" with us to Popmart Detroit. It was a good friend of my mom's and her daughter, who is a year younger than me. Both of them were absolutely blown away by it.

:happy: The other night I went back to my high school for a girls' basketball game and my mom's friend was there because her other daughter was playing on the team...and she was wearing her Popmart shirt. That was so cool to see! :up:
 
wertsie said:


My mom and I took two "non-fans" with us to Popmart Detroit. It was a good friend of my mom's and her daughter, who is a year younger than me. Both of them were absolutely blown away by it.

:happy: The other night I went back to my high school for a girls' basketball game and my mom's friend was there because her other daughter was playing on the team...and she was wearing her Popmart shirt. That was so cool to see! :up:

Gotta love those Popmart shirts! Is it the one with the shopping cart orbiting the lemon?

Would you agree that non-fans respond pretty favorably to Popmart? I'd say my sister likes it better than ZooTV, and many other people I've watched it with ( :cough: forced them to watch it with me :cough: ) really enjoyed it and were impressed by the band, their music, and the wild stage setup. Maybe "non-fans" like it because their expectations are not as high as say, someone who saw the Joshua Tree/R&H tour or the ZooTV tour? Just a theory. :slant:
 
HeartlandGirl said:

Maybe "non-fans" like it because their expectations are not as high as say, someone who saw the Joshua Tree/R&H tour or the ZooTV tour? Just a theory. :slant:

Hmmm. I'd say that's a good theory ... but I wouldn't say it was that their expectations aren't high, per se. I think Popmart would fulfill high expectations :D ... I would say their expectations aren't, well, set. They don't have any template for what they think the show will or should be, so they can simply experience it for what it is.

And I can't wait for the hockey season to start. :) HeartlandGirl , you should join the interference fantasy hockey league on Yahoo! There's a thread about it over at Put Em Under Pressure. :yes:
 
Last edited:
wertsie said:
My mom and I took two "non-fans" with us to Popmart Detroit. It was a good friend of my mom's and her daughter, who is a year younger than me. Both of them were absolutely blown away by it.

Yay! I went to Popmart Chicago with 2 friends, all of us budding U2 fans. All three of us are still U2 fans to this day, and I think that concert was a huge part of what solidified U2 fandom for us.

:heart: U2
:heart: Popmart 6/27/97 Chicago

:drool: <---- me thinking about Popmart Mexico City on DVD
 
I LOVED Pop Mart. Seeing it live was one of the most incredible parts of my life, and the video does an excellent job of capturing it.

My husband wasn't a huge U2 fan, but after he saw Mexico City, he fell in love. He couldn't praise U2 enough.

I love Pop, and I love Pop Mart. I loved the sarcasm, big screen, big lights, and big show. Please was amazing, and the end of "Street" sent chills up and down my spine.

Ah-hem. The dancing transvestite was a little much for me, though! :D
 
Back
Top Bottom