Zoocoustic
War Child
In order to get myself ready for the Vertigo Tour, I just watched the Sydney video again and I’ve got to say, ZooTV was just unbelievable. After literally dozens of repeated views/listens, ZooTV shows just don’t get old.
That tour was amazing. The whole thing just worked perfectly. You had the video walls, the trabants, Bono’s “Fly” character, the heavy AB songs on the front. Dark, loud, messages pounding at you. It was this that created The Fly as we know him, created the UTEOTW “duel” between Bono and Edge, created the video messages U2 has used (although much less) in all subsequent tours.
Then the fly sort of “melts” away and they move into the ingenious B-stage which U2 has basically kept in one form or another since to play a small acoustic set. Cool that for some of those songs we got the full band (Angel of Harlem, When Love Comes To Town).
Back after this to the “big” U2 anthems where Bono and the boys seem almost touchable again – no characters, just themselves – we even see 80’s Bono on the screen and he says “hey you! I remember you!” (or some form of that depending on which show). Brilliant as we see U2 for what they really are for a few songs.
Then it’s off to for a short break and they return to really screw with our minds as Bono comes back as either the Mirrorball Man or MacPhisto and we see this powerful performance where U2 have left the building and the group playing before us is more like MacPhisto’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Ultimately, MacPhisto loses steam and the performances drastically turns into something desperate and clinging during Love is Blindness and Can’t Help Falling In Love. As Bono wanders off the stage, the crowd is amazed – no grand farewell, just a character wandering off to the tunes of Elvis and tens of thousands of mind-blown fans.
It’s so powerful. It’s so awesome. I only wish they would approach this level of brilliance again during the remainder of their careers.
Geez, I’ve got to go watch the Sydney Video again.
That tour was amazing. The whole thing just worked perfectly. You had the video walls, the trabants, Bono’s “Fly” character, the heavy AB songs on the front. Dark, loud, messages pounding at you. It was this that created The Fly as we know him, created the UTEOTW “duel” between Bono and Edge, created the video messages U2 has used (although much less) in all subsequent tours.
Then the fly sort of “melts” away and they move into the ingenious B-stage which U2 has basically kept in one form or another since to play a small acoustic set. Cool that for some of those songs we got the full band (Angel of Harlem, When Love Comes To Town).
Back after this to the “big” U2 anthems where Bono and the boys seem almost touchable again – no characters, just themselves – we even see 80’s Bono on the screen and he says “hey you! I remember you!” (or some form of that depending on which show). Brilliant as we see U2 for what they really are for a few songs.
Then it’s off to for a short break and they return to really screw with our minds as Bono comes back as either the Mirrorball Man or MacPhisto and we see this powerful performance where U2 have left the building and the group playing before us is more like MacPhisto’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Ultimately, MacPhisto loses steam and the performances drastically turns into something desperate and clinging during Love is Blindness and Can’t Help Falling In Love. As Bono wanders off the stage, the crowd is amazed – no grand farewell, just a character wandering off to the tunes of Elvis and tens of thousands of mind-blown fans.
It’s so powerful. It’s so awesome. I only wish they would approach this level of brilliance again during the remainder of their careers.
Geez, I’ve got to go watch the Sydney Video again.
Oh i totally agree...i loved the Zoo...and my regret is that i never saw it live either 
...lol But Sydney has to be my most favorite live Video ever i never get sick of watching it.
