ZOOTV, what can we say?
First off, when was the last time any band decided to name a tour, TV? It could have easily been The One Tour, or Zoo Station Tour... but Zoo TV, it was meant to be something else...
The display, this big stadium setup (after arenas) with big bold statements and songs that an arena couldn't hold within itself. U2 was letting the world know that they're taking it over again, and not the world forgetting about them.
The opening song of every tour (except dress rehearsal) was Zoo Station, a song Bono didn't want to open the show with. But as we hear those first strums and drum hits, that U2 was leaving behind it's traditional guitar strummed anthems and replacing them with a big sound.
Screens of words and images and commercials filled the screens, as U2 parodied the commercialization of the 90s. Playing 7 songs from their new album, the band did something that hadn't been done, nor would be done ever again. It was uncomforting at first because you were expecting "I Will Follow" , "Out Of Control" or "Gloria" but these songs never made an appearance except a few shows of "I Will Follow"
Running off the high of Zoo Station, U2 launched into The Fly, a dark, cruel and sexually supercharged song that sent the audience into a gasp and puzzlement. Next, Even Better Than The Real Thing got us back jumping, and Mysterious Ways had us dancing with our ladies. One, which I don't understand, was in the place as the 5 song of the set. Why was such an emotional song, and such a well crafted song -- and a single throughout the show put in this place? One has now become a closer. After One, Until The End Of The World woke us back up from the dream we had, and as the band ended and Edge slid his guitar distortion some more...
Adam Clayton pounded those familiar notes, it was like the "curse" of Zoo TV was broken, and New Year's Day, like sunlight, shined through. U2 hadn't forgot about the oldies, infact, they were waiting to play them. U2 played acoustic numbers, covers including Abba and Beatles, as well as performing with a faux Lou Reed. Bad, as well as Sunday Bloody Sunday made their appearances before the best arguable moment of Zoo TV came about...
After Bullet The Blue Sky, the arena became silent, filled with ambience and sincerity. Running To Stand Still slowed things down, and put the audience in a purple haze, as Bono told us the story of the girl, we sang with him -- and when it was time to go, that helicopter left and we were saying goodbye. As the helicopter was leaving, we could hear a familiar sound coming, and growing larger...
Where The Streets Have No Name was the moment that made Zoo TV magical, the lights flashing, the red screens and Bono's serenity filled vocals graced the entire stadium and brought the show to a halt, for 5 minutes there, the show was not about commercialization, or about anything -- but instead about going to that magical place and letting Edge's notes fly you there.
Pride, and sometimes "Still Haven't Found..." close the main set, every time they were played, the audience responded louder.
Next, many of Bono's alter egos ranging from a TV Evangelist to a retired sexed out overweight rock star named Macfisto. Perhaps Bono wanted to be an actor, because he did a good job at playing these characters, with their makeup and almost Hitchcock like dialogs. The band played a humble, subtle version of "With Or Without You" after a gut shredding, gorgeiously distorted "Desire" and as "With Or Without" you ended... so did the classics...
The haunting "Love IS Blindness" slowly played, and for a minute, you could hear ghosts moving througout the song. Edge was having an exorcism and Bono pleaded his sadistic pleasures...
After the nightmare, we were treated to a humble, soft version of the Elvis Presley song "Falling In Love" it was like Bono took everything he and did, and apologized with his heart during this song. Ending the show on the most important note, that love is what matters.
First off, when was the last time any band decided to name a tour, TV? It could have easily been The One Tour, or Zoo Station Tour... but Zoo TV, it was meant to be something else...
The display, this big stadium setup (after arenas) with big bold statements and songs that an arena couldn't hold within itself. U2 was letting the world know that they're taking it over again, and not the world forgetting about them.
The opening song of every tour (except dress rehearsal) was Zoo Station, a song Bono didn't want to open the show with. But as we hear those first strums and drum hits, that U2 was leaving behind it's traditional guitar strummed anthems and replacing them with a big sound.
Screens of words and images and commercials filled the screens, as U2 parodied the commercialization of the 90s. Playing 7 songs from their new album, the band did something that hadn't been done, nor would be done ever again. It was uncomforting at first because you were expecting "I Will Follow" , "Out Of Control" or "Gloria" but these songs never made an appearance except a few shows of "I Will Follow"
Running off the high of Zoo Station, U2 launched into The Fly, a dark, cruel and sexually supercharged song that sent the audience into a gasp and puzzlement. Next, Even Better Than The Real Thing got us back jumping, and Mysterious Ways had us dancing with our ladies. One, which I don't understand, was in the place as the 5 song of the set. Why was such an emotional song, and such a well crafted song -- and a single throughout the show put in this place? One has now become a closer. After One, Until The End Of The World woke us back up from the dream we had, and as the band ended and Edge slid his guitar distortion some more...
Adam Clayton pounded those familiar notes, it was like the "curse" of Zoo TV was broken, and New Year's Day, like sunlight, shined through. U2 hadn't forgot about the oldies, infact, they were waiting to play them. U2 played acoustic numbers, covers including Abba and Beatles, as well as performing with a faux Lou Reed. Bad, as well as Sunday Bloody Sunday made their appearances before the best arguable moment of Zoo TV came about...
After Bullet The Blue Sky, the arena became silent, filled with ambience and sincerity. Running To Stand Still slowed things down, and put the audience in a purple haze, as Bono told us the story of the girl, we sang with him -- and when it was time to go, that helicopter left and we were saying goodbye. As the helicopter was leaving, we could hear a familiar sound coming, and growing larger...
Where The Streets Have No Name was the moment that made Zoo TV magical, the lights flashing, the red screens and Bono's serenity filled vocals graced the entire stadium and brought the show to a halt, for 5 minutes there, the show was not about commercialization, or about anything -- but instead about going to that magical place and letting Edge's notes fly you there.
Pride, and sometimes "Still Haven't Found..." close the main set, every time they were played, the audience responded louder.
Next, many of Bono's alter egos ranging from a TV Evangelist to a retired sexed out overweight rock star named Macfisto. Perhaps Bono wanted to be an actor, because he did a good job at playing these characters, with their makeup and almost Hitchcock like dialogs. The band played a humble, subtle version of "With Or Without You" after a gut shredding, gorgeiously distorted "Desire" and as "With Or Without" you ended... so did the classics...
The haunting "Love IS Blindness" slowly played, and for a minute, you could hear ghosts moving througout the song. Edge was having an exorcism and Bono pleaded his sadistic pleasures...
After the nightmare, we were treated to a humble, soft version of the Elvis Presley song "Falling In Love" it was like Bono took everything he and did, and apologized with his heart during this song. Ending the show on the most important note, that love is what matters.
I have them on tape somewhere.
